Did Steelers give away draft strategy by releasing starter?

NFL teams often like to keep their intentions close to themselves in the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft, but the Pittsburgh Steelers may have tipped their hand. 

Even before releasing Mason Cole on Friday, insiders were connecting the Steelers to top center prospects such as Oregon's Jackson Powers-Johnson and West Virginia's Zach Frazier. 

While some may argue Pittsburgh has more pressing needs, namely defensive line and more help for the secondary, center now appears to be a glaring hole on the roster. 

The decision to cut Cole, who had been with the team since 2022, saves $5 million in cap space for the 2024 season, leaving the door open to sign his replacement in free agency. However, finding an upgrade at a reasonable cost might be tough for a franchise that is still on the hunt for a veteran quarterback. 

Pittsburgh's thought process could also be as simple as knowing this draft is full of viable options. In addition to both Powers-Johnson and Frazier — a WVU product many local fans are intrigued by — Sedrick Van Pran of Georgia and Duke's Graham Barton are highly regarded centers draft experts believe will be selected in the early rounds. 

With pick No. 20 in the first round and then No. 51 in the second, Steelers general manager Omar Khan will be picking in spots centers are often selected. 

If Powers-Johnson, viewed by most analysts as the top center in the 2024 class, is already off the board, the Steelers could sit back and know another center will be there for them with their next pick. 

Regardless of what happens, it's clear there's now a greater sense of urgency for the Steelers to find a center to pair with Kenny Pickett — or whoever ends up at quarterback. 

It's even possible Pittsburgh takes a player at another key position, possibly defensive back, safety, defensive line or somewhere else on the offensive line, with its first-round pick and then turns its attention to center. A strategy like that would make Frazier the most likely option in the second round. 

The athleticism and intelligence Frazier displayed as a Mountaineer could make him the right type of player to help guide Pickett and the perfect fit personality-wise for a Mike Tomlin-led team. 

Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reported the Steelers "absolutely love" Frazier, and his colleague, Dane Brugler, has already mocked Frazier to Pittsburgh. 

At this point, the biggest question as far as drafting a center for Khan and Co. isn't if it should be a priority, but which player they covet the most.