Two Players Fly Up Steelers NFL Draft Board
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers moved on from starting center Mason Cole much earlier than anticipated. Even if the veteran was considered a cap casualty this offseason, releasing him prior to the NFL Combine means the team has virtually no idea how the free agency market or the NFL Draft is set to look.
But they probably have a plan.
The release of Cole clears $4.75 million from the Steelers' salary cap, giving them roughly $12.25 million in available funds to re-sign and bring in new talent through free agency. A veteran like Brian Allen could be on their watchlist, but the move likely moves two incoming rookies up their draft board.
To this point in this offseason, the Steelers have already met with Oregon star Jackson Powers-Johnson twice and "absolutely love" West Virginia prospect Zach Frazier. The two are the top two center prospects in the NFL Draft.
Pittsburgh is headed to the NFL Combine this week, where they'll get an even deeper dive into the center prospects. It was already believed they'd be glued to the linemen during the week, but that attention is seemingly only going to get greater, and you should expect the team to meet with both Powers-Johnson and Frazier.
Powers-Johnson is a Rimington Trophy winner and a unanimous All-American. Frazier is a first-team All-Big 12 and has already been named a "day one starter" by NFL Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah.
Right tackle, cornerback, safety, wide receiver, inside linebacker and defensive line are all on the Steelers' list of needs this NFL Draft. Luckily for them, they have options in free agency to fill some of these and could head to the NFL Draft with minimal urgent fillings.
It's been a few years since the Steelers have had a dominant center, and much like the quarterback position, they're looking to get back to a time when they didn't have to worry about the leader of their offensive line. A return to the Ben Roethlisberger, Maurkice Pouncey days.
This NFL Draft, there are two names who can eliminate that stress - and it feels like the Steelers are all-in on landing one of them.
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