NEWS FLASH: Why the Pittsburgh Steelers Might Not Do That
The center position is the first one that comes to mind when you look at the Pittsburgh Steelers roster, mostly due to the lack of experience at that position. It’s common knowledge that Nate Herbig has played center only 49 times in his career. Does that suffice?
Naturally, the response is no. A center fielder who can play comfortably has to be signed, traded for, or selected by this club. Mike Tomlin said that something has to happen, and it will happen. It’s just a matter of time until a centerfield option is discovered, and with the free agency market as thin as it is right now, the NFL Draft is undoubtedly the best place to search.
Tomlin stated, “It’s still a work in progress.” Herbig is still on our team, of course, but we still need to do some work there, either in the draft or through free agency. At that position, of course, we’ll get something done, but you can also say the same thing about a few other prominent spots where we might fall short numerically on the depth chart.
This deep center class is distinct. However, there aren’t many individuals that can play straight away. That’s just for a select group of people, including Graham Barton, Zach Frazier, and Jackson Powers-Johnson. You can reach certain men like Sedrick Van-Pran Granger if you want to take things a little further.
However, past experiences should indicate that there may be some indications the Steelers will not take this action. Andy Weidl, assistant general manager, is a key creator of the draft board and strategy. They failed to choose a center in the opening round while he and Howie Roseman were coaching them. For that squad, the interior offensive line was actually a day-two deal. Day two choices included Cam Jurgens, Landon Dickerson, and Isaac Seumalo.
The pro-day tracking from this season follows. You have to give the pro day regulations some thought, even if I’m not as obligated to follow them this year. It’s evident that the Steelers are working on centers whileAt least for the time being, offensive tackle appears to be a bigger priority. The fundamental foundation of Omar Khan’s draft approach from the previous year was selecting value at premium spots. Although it’s only the first round, Khan is a general manager who leans more toward analysis, so it wouldn’t be shocking if he focused on premium positions. It wouldn’t be with Weidl either, who worked for Roseman and earned a life doing it.
There are two reasons to dispute part of this material. One reason is that Weidl never really needed to fill the center position in Philadelphia since Jason Kelce was always there. Second, Khan now believes that premium players are important. For instance, in addition to making premium position investments, he has extended Minkah Fitzpatrick and signed Patrick Queen. Linebacker and safety are not among those premium places, despite their importance.
Therefore, it wouldn’t be astonishing to see the organization try to pick someone if they think they have identified a quality player. The history of Steelers tracking data does not, however, scream center in the first round, and some evidence appears to be contradicting the notion of a center in the first round. In the midst of the rounds, especially on day two, it is shouting a center. However, despite a clear need, I don’t think Pittsburgh will target center in the first round.
It is plausible, in my opinion, that they will move quickly to seize someone like Frazier, Barton, or Powers-Johnson in the second round. In 2023, Khan aimed to advance across the board, and this year, it ought to be the anticipated outcome as well. It would seem reasonable to expect them to move up from number 51 in order to acquire a player, particularly in light of the reports that Powers-Johnson’s stock is lower in the league than the media perceives.