HEADLINES

Pittsburgh Steelers News & Rumors

Steelers’ Trai Turner To Earn $3MM

June 25th, 2021 at 12:36pm CST by Zachary Links

On Thursday, the Steelers parted ways with David DeCastro and moved quickly to find his successor. Now, we have the terms of Trai Turner‘s deal – the veteran guard will earn just $3MM on his one-year deal (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). 

That’s a solid value considering that Turner is a five-time Pro Bowler. While the Chargers cut bait with Turner after just one year, he offers the toughness, experience, and upside they lost by cutting DeCastro.

Turner found a tepid market for his services since knee and groin problems limited him to just nine games in 2020. Pro Football Focus slotted Turner as the league’s second-worst guard in 2020, but he could easily return to his old form if he’s healthy.

The 28-year-old comes to Pittsburgh with 89 career starts, making him the most senior member of the offensive line. In the hours betwee DeCastro’s release and Turner’s agreement, left tackle Chukwuma Okorafor held that mantle with just 19 career starts.

Former Steelers G David DeCastro To Retire?

June 25th, 2021 at 8:52am CST by Zachary Links

Former Steelers guard David DeCastro is now free to sign with any team in the NFL. However, the multiple-time Pro Bowler says that he might call it a career instead. 

“Gotta see how the surgery goes,” DeCastro said (via Joe Starkey of the Post Gazette). “But I’d have no problem calling it a day and moving on with my life.”

DeCastro is set for a third surgery on his ankle to fix a recurring issue with bone spurs. The Steelers released him earlier this week with a non-football injury designation, a sign that they’re not so sure about his ability to bounce back. By releasing him, they saved ~$8MM, though it remains to be seen how they’ll replace him on the interior.

A starter since his 2012 rookie season, DeCastro has made the past six Pro Bowls and has secured two first-team All-Pro nods. Now, on the verge of what would be his his age-31 season, he’s giving serious thought to life after football.

The Steelers and the former first-round pick agreed to a five-year, $50MM extension back in September 2016. That deal worked out well for Pittsburgh — DeCastro carved out holes for Le’Veon Bell during his All-Pro campaigns, teaming with Maurkice Pouncey and Ramon Foster to form one of the league’s best interior lines.

Steelers To Sign Trai Turner

June 24th, 2021 at 6:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

This big day for the Steelers’ guard position continues. They team quickly tabbed a David DeCastro successor, agreeing to terms with Trai Turner on Thursday evening.

It’s a one-year deal for the Pro Bowl guard, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). This will provide a Steelers offensive line incredibly light on experience with a seven-year veteran who has ventured to five Pro Bowls. The Steelers brought Turner in for a visit late last week. While that summit seemed a bit odd, DeCastro’s release vacated yet another position on a Pittsburgh front that will look radically different compared to 2020.

Despite trading Russell Okung for Turner straight up last year, the Chargers cut bait after one season. The Bolts shed Turner’s Panthers-constructed contract after he played in just nine games in 2020. A groin injury sidelined Turner for six games last season, after a knee injury caused him to miss Week 1. When Turner returned, he could not recapture his Panthers form. Pro Football Focus slotted Turner as the league’s second-worst guard in 2020. Of course, his health was probably an issue during his lone L.A. season.

Turner’s health has been an issue for a while, his run of Hawaii trips notwithstanding. He missed three games in each of the 2017, ’18 and ’19 seasons. But the accomplished blocker said he is back to 100%, and Thursday’s Steelers agreement signals they concur with his assessment. Turner, 28, resided as one of the top free agents left. His experience (89 career starts) could be vital for a Steelers O-line without anyone close to that total.

The Steelers lost 17 combined Pro Bowls from their offensive line this offseason, with DeCastro now a free agent, Maurkice Pouncey having retired and Alejandro Villanueva having signed with the Ravens. DeCastro appears to be considering retirement as well. His departure leaves a major void on a Steelers line whose most veteran member — left tackle Chukwuma Okorafor — has made 19 career starts. Turner and 2020 fourth-round pick Kevin Dotson, who started four games as a rookie, appear set to work as Pittsburgh’s guards this season.

Steelers, G Trai Turner Discussing Deal

June 24th, 2021 at 3:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shortly after releasing David DeCastro, it appears the Steelers are trying to replace him. Less than a week after their Trai Turner visit, the Steelers are discussing a deal to bring in the five-time Pro Bowler, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The Chargers cut Turner this offseason, and the longtime starter has made just one free agency visit. The seven-year veteran guard battled through an injury-plagued 2020, leading to an early Los Angeles exit. But the decorated blocker said recently he is now fully recovered. At his best, Turner would certainly help a Steelers line facing major questions after considerable offseason turnover.

Turner made every Pro Bowl from 2015-19, establishing himself as one of the NFL’s top guards. The Panthers opted to extend him and let Andrew Norwell walk in free agency. While Turner rewarded Carolina, he also has not played more than 13 games in a season since 2016. The Chargers acquired him via trade last year but could only use him in nine games due to injuries.

Still, Turner just turned 28 and is one of the top free agents available. The Steelers have fully dismantled the offensive line that helped establish the team as a perennial Super Bowl contender in the 2010s, with DeCastro (released), Maurkice Pouncey (retirement) and Alejandro Villanueva (now a Raven) gone. DeCastro and Pouncey combined for 15 Pro Bowls and four first-team All-Pro honors.

Turner’s experience would help a Pittsburgh team that will feature a 39-year-old Ben Roethlisberger and a host of unproven blockers. As of now, no Steeler O-lineman has more than one season of NFL starting experience. And only one — tackle Chukwuma Okorafor — even meets that criteria.

Steelers Release G David DeCastro

June 24th, 2021 at 3:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Already set to feature a far less experienced offensive line this season, the Steelers are now pivoting further in that direction. They are releasing All-Pro guard David DeCastro, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

A starter since his 2012 rookie season, DeCastro has made the past six Pro Bowls and has secured two first-team All-Pro nods. The former first-round pick is going into his age-31 season. This is certainly a surprise, given DeCastro’s accomplishments and the makeup of Pittsburgh’s offensive front.

It does not sound like DeCastro is 100% healthy at this stage of his career, however. Ankle issues plagued him in the recent past, and he underwent surgery to address the problem. The nine-year veteran is evaluating his NFL future, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). DeCastro did not show for Pittsburgh’s OTAs but reported to minicamp. He did not participate in the mandatory offseason workouts, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly tweets. This release comes with a non-football injury designation, per Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790 (on Twitter).

The Steelers and DeCastro agreed to a five-year, $50MM extension back in September 2016. That deal worked out well for Pittsburgh, which ascended to lofty heights on offense in the mid-2010s and remained a top-tier attack for several seasons. DeCastro was a key driver for both Le’Veon Bell All-Pro campaigns, teaming with Maurkice Pouncey and Ramon Foster to form an elite interior O-line. All three players are gone, and all the O-line starters from the “Killer B’s” era are no longer with the team. Pouncey retired, while left tackle Alejandro Villanueva signed with the Ravens after the draft.

One season remained on DeCastro’s contract, but the $10MM-per-year deal was manageable due to the guard market’s growth in the nearly five years since DeCastro signed his deal. The Steelers will save at least $8MM on their 2021 salary cap, but replacing another high-end O-lineman will be a task. The Steelers did bring in former Panthers and Chargers starter Trai Turner for a visit last week. The five-time Pro Bowler’s Pennsylvania trip makes more sense now.

This era-ending transaction will leave the Steelers with major question marks up front. Only one starter is set to return from last year’s unit — Chukwuma Okorafor — and he will be playing a new position. Okorafor is slated to slide from right to left tackle; he has one season’s worth of starting experience. The Steelers re-signed Week 1 right tackle starter Zach Banner, but he is coming off an ACL tear and has started one game in four NFL seasons. Second-year player Kevin Dotson, a fourth-round pick out of Louisiana, is on track to start at left guard. The Steelers drafted Kendrick Green in this year’s third round; he will have a chance to succeed Pouncey at center.

Steelers In No Rush To Add OLB Depth

June 23rd, 2021 at 10:08pm CST by Rory Parks

With T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, the Steelers boast perhaps the best outside linebacker tandem in football. Behind those two, however, the picture is less rosy, as Cassius Marsh and Quincy Roche reside as the top backups.

Earlier this year, defensive coordinator Keith Butler made it sound as if Pittsburgh would make an addition to that group, as Mark Kaboly of The Athletic observes. Now, however, the team appears to be taking more of a wait-and-see approach.

“We will see as we go along in training camp and go through the preseason,” Butler said last week. “We are looking for a third guy [behind Watt and Highsmith] right now who is going to step up. … We will see how it goes as we go along. Hopefully, we can stay healthy at that position.”

The Steelers inside linebacking corps was hit hard by injury in 2020, and head coach Mike Tomlin conceded that he is worried about attrition. However, like Butler, he seems content with how his OLB depth chart looks at the moment.

“I am comfortable with who we have working there right now,” Tomlin said. “We are going to coach those guys up and hope that attrition doesn’t set in.” 

Marsh, a fourth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2014, has bounced around the league quite a bit. In addition to the ‘Hawks, he has suited up for the Patriots, 49ers, Cardinals, Colts, Jaguars, and Steelers. He joined Pittsburgh last December and ultimately played in one game before landing on the COVID-19 list. He has been a useful rotational piece at times, and his most consistent action came back in 2018, when he was on the field for over half of San Francisco’s defensive snaps and posted 5.5 sacks. He is also capable of lining up as a defensive end.

Kaboly says Marsh is the most likely player currently on the roster to become the “swing” OLB that the Steelers like to deploy when one of the starters needs a breather. Roche, a sixth-round rookie, is raw and will need a fair amount of work before Pittsburgh can count on him to be a reliable contributor.

If neither Marsh nor Roche performs well in training camp and the preseason, the Steelers could turn back to the free agent market. Earlier tonight, we took a look at the top pass rushers who remain unsigned, and other players could of course become available via cut or trade.

Samuels Unlikely To Make Steelers

June 22nd, 2021 at 2:35pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg
  • Speaking of players unlikely to get their 2019 playing time back, things don’t appear to be going well for Jaylen Samuels in Pittsburgh. After the Steelers drafted running back Najee Harris in the first round, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic writes that it’s “difficult to envision a scenario” where Samuels makes the team. Kaboly thinks Kalen Ballage and Benny Snell are battling it out for the last running back spot. The Steelers drafted Samuels in the fifth-round back in 2018, and he started three games as a rookie then four in 2019. He played a sizable hybrid role in 2019 as Ben Roethlisberger was sidelined with an elbow injury, rushing 66 times, reeling in 47 receptions for 305 yards, and even attempting five passes. But the NC State product fell out of favor with Mike Tomlin last year, only carrying the ball nine times and getting nine catches. Now it sounds like Samuels, who will turn 25 next month, will need to jump-start his career elsewhere.

Steelers Host G Trai Turner On Visit

June 18th, 2021 at 4:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Retooling on their offensive line, the Steelers are looking into veteran help. They brought in Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner for a visit Friday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).

This is the first known visit for Turner, a five-time Pro Bowler whom the Chargers released in March. The Bolts attempted to trade the decorated blocker but could not find a taker. Still, Turner is one of the top free agents available in mid-June.

Turner turned 28 earlier this week and mounted his Pro Bowl streak from 2015-19. Injuries limited the ex-Panther standout to nine games in 2020, but he figures to have a few seasons left in the tank. The former third-round pick has made 89 career starts. That number would jump out on the current Pittsburgh O-line.

All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey retired, and the Steelers let longtime left tackle Alejandro Villanueva sign with the Ravens in May. Multiyear starter Matt Feiler is now with the Chargers, with whom he is in line to succeed Turner as a guard starter. Interestingly, the Steelers’ most stable O-line spot may be guard. All-Pro David DeCastro is the lone remaining “Killer B’s”-era O-line starter, and the team gave 2020 fourth-round pick Kevin Dotson three starts as a rookie. Pro Football Focus viewed Dotson’s first-year work sample favorably, slotting him as a top-30 guard.

Turner certainly would represent an experience upgrade on the second-year blocker, but injuries have impacted his career in recent years. Turner missed seven games last season and was sidelined for nine over his final three Carolina campaigns. The Panthers, who signed him to a four-year deal worth $45MM, traded him to the Chargers for Russell Okung in 2020. Turner’s next contract will likely be a prove-it deal, potentially setting him up for one more notable payday in 2022.

JuJu Smith-Schuster Changes Agents

June 14th, 2021 at 3:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

JuJu Smith-Schuster essentially tabled his free agency until 2022, re-signing with the Steelers on a one-year deal. He will have a new agency negotiating his next contract.

The fifth-year wide receiver will move from Roc Nation Sports to the Wasserman agency (Twitter link). Roc Nation had represented Smith-Schuster for years. Going into a second straight contract year, however, the Pro Bowl wideout changed his strategy.

A reduced salary cap depressed the market for most players, and Smith-Schuster was no exception. Although the Ravens are believed to have offered more, with the Chiefs entering the mix as well, Smith-Schuster opted to re-sign with the Steelers on a one-year, $8MM deal. Several marquee UFAs agreed to one-year pacts, but the cap is expected to balloon north of $200MM in 2022. Teams look set to have more money to spend next year, and more long-term contracts will likely be offered.

The Steelers will have exclusive negotiating rights with Smith-Schuster until next year’s legal tampering period, which will take place two days before the start of the 2022 league year. It will be difficult to see Smith-Schuster signing a long-term extension before retesting the market. The 24-year-old receiver was not expected to be back with the Steelers in 2021, however. Pittsburgh has both Smith-Schuster and James Washington going into walk years, with Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool signed beyond 2021.

Mason Rudolph Wants To Start For Steelers in 2022

June 8th, 2021 at 1:39pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Steelers have an uncertain future under center beyond this season. Ben Roethlisberger was almost pushed out after 2020, before a restructure was worked out to bring him back for one more year.

The team hasn’t anointed a clear heir apparent, but Mason Rudolph is making it clear he wants it to be him. “That’s my goal, to be a starting quarterback in this league, and for my team,” Rudolph said Tuesday, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Rudolph hasn’t exactly looked like a franchise quarterback during his pro starts to date, but he does have the advantage of being the only Pittsburgh signal-caller under contract for 2022 at the moment. The Steelers recently gave him a one-year extension through 2022 worth $5MM with a $2MM signing bonus.

That’s not insignificant money, so Rudolph could have a real shot at succeeding Roethlisberger. Most likely, the team just wanted to make sure they had a somewhat competent insurance option.

Rudolph received eight starts in 2019 due to Roethlisberger’s season-ending elbow injury, but was ineffective and benched a couple of times in favor of UDFA Devlin Hodges.

He was better in his lone 2020 start in Week 17 when the Steelers rested starters against the Browns, but still isn’t the most inspiring option as a full-time starter. He’ll turn 26 next month. The Steelers also have Dwayne Haskins and Joshua Dobbs on the roster for 2020.

Load More Posts