Steelers Insider Lists Quality Centers To Replace Mason Cole In Free Agency

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of needs to fill this offseason, including cornerback, inside linebacker, offensive tackle, safety, wide receiver, and now center. While fans were relieved to hear that Mason Cole had been released by the team after an awful showing in 2023, it has left a gaping hole in the offensive line. While many analysts believe that the Steelers will look to draft the next Maurkice Pouncey with their first or second-round pick, there are some free agents that could be possibilities.     

This 2024 NFL Draft is set to possibly be a historic year for centers. Current predictions have at least three going in the first round, which would be a record. Among those, there are some fan favorites including Jackson Powers-Johnson from the University of Oregon and Zach Frazier from the University of West Virginia. The Steelers however, might feel a veteran better meets their needs or that they need to use those top draft picks on another position. That leaves free agency. 

Brian Batko from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently broke down some of the top free agent centers that the Steelers could consider in his "mailbag" column. 

Steelers' Best Options For A Free Agent Center

In his column, Batko noted that Powers-Johnson is widely considered to be the best center in the draft, and from his perspective, it does feel like the Steelers need to look for a younger player at that position. The Steelers have struggled to find a center with that "it factor" since Pouncey retired at the end of the 2020 season. They brought Cole, who was a veteran in, and while he had a decent season in 2022, he struggled in 2023. Between bad snaps, penalties, and an inability to consistently effectively block, he was a liability to an already struggling offense. 

But they cannot give up. The Steelers have long been known for having excellent centers that anchor that offensive line and allow them to play smashmouth football. With their new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith and a decision to make at quarterback, they have to have the other pieces in place. Batko said he wouldn't be surprised to see them go the veteran route again.  

"But the Steelers do tend to shore up positions of need to some extent in free agency before hitting them in the draft. Looking at the centers likely to be unrestricted free agents, there are a few who strike me as definite starters: Cowboys starter Tyler Biadasz, Broncos starter Lloyd Cushenberry and Raiders starter Andre James. They'll all command quite a bit in a new deal with a different team or else their current teams would re-sign them," wrote Batko.

Tyler Biadasz has just wrapped up his fourth season with the Dallas Cowboys. They got a steal after drafting Biadasz in the fourth round in 2020 out of the University of Wisconsin. He had a season to develop behind their previous center and then started practically every game from 2021 on. Now Dallas has to decide if they want to pay him or not. He is projected to make about $10 million a year which is a huge jump from his rookie contract. With a Pro Bowl appearance under his belt and at only 26 years old, if the Cowboys don't pay him, someone else will. 

Lloyd Cushenberry from the Denver Broncos is the next center mentioned by Batko. Also drafted in 2020, but in the third round, Cushenberry has been a solid force on the Broncos offensive line. He started as a rookie and did not make an immediate impact, at least not a positive one. He struggled his first few seasons with run blocking and made some poor choices. He spent some time on the injured reserve during his third season and didn't get his starting job back. However, in 2023, he turned it all around. He took control of the line of scrimmage, was an asset in the run game, and rarely gave up even a pressure in passing situations. That great season also raised the price tag on Cushenberry, Pro Football Focus projects him to get paid about $14.28 million a year. 

The final top-tier starter that Batko mentioned is the Las Vegas Raiders' Andre James. James was an undrafted rookie when the Raiders picked him up in 2019. He took over for their injured starter about halfway through his rookie season. He performed so well that they chose to keep him and trade away his predecessor. They haven't been disappointed. Now James is set to get paid. Most predictions have him at about $8 million a year. 

Batko also included some more "mid-level" centers that are possible including Miami Dolphins' Connor Williams, Los Angles Rams' Brian Allen, and Houston Texans' Michael Dieter. Both Dieter and Allen are former starters who have been moved to backup. But all three of them are under 30 years of age and according to Batko, couldn't cost much more than the roughly $5 million a year the Steelers paid Cole. 

If the team decides to go the "bargain bin" route, Batko said age will become a factor as most are over 30. That list includes Connor McGovern, Cody Whitehair, and Graham Glasgow. There is also a possibility they could look at Matt Hennessy who played for Smith when he was with the Atlanta Falcons. If the Steelers pick up any of these centers, it seems likely they would compete with a rookie for a starting job.