The Pittsburgh Steelers have remained busy in the offseason, making numerous additions to their roster through signings and trades. However, one glaring need remains unaddressed: center. The Steelers have not yet replaced Mason Cole, who was released two months ago, leaving the starting spot vacant.
Despite addressing several other positions, including quarterback, receiver, and linebacker, the Steelers have not found a suitable replacement for Cole at center. Backup interior offensive lineman Nate Herbig and starting right guard James Daniels are currently the top candidates for the role.
General manager Omar Khan acknowledged the importance of the center position and hinted at potential flexibility within the roster to fill the void. The Steelers will have the No. 20 overall pick in Thursday night’s first round and the No. 51 selection in the second round on Friday.
In the past, the Steelers have been willing to trade up in the draft, as they did last year when they moved up to select tackle Broderick Jones. However, Khan said that the team is not focused on mock drafts or the potential moves of other teams ahead of them. Instead, they are evaluating the top prospects in the draft regardless of position.
The Steelers have hosted several top center prospects for official visits, including Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson, Duke’s Graham Barton, and West Virginia’s Zach Frazier. If all three are available at No. 20, the Steelers could be tempted to trade down to improve their draft positioning in later rounds or acquire additional capital.
According to Khan, there are several centers in this draft class who are expected to become starters in the NFL. The Steelers will have a chance to select one of these prospects if they decide to stay put at No. 20 or trade down.
As the NFL Draft approaches, the Steelers continue to evaluate their options and engage in discussions with other teams to gauge potential trade scenarios. The next few days will be crucial as the team finalizes its draft strategy and prepares to fill the remaining holes on its roster.
