Pittsburgh’s fourth-round pick could be part of a bigger plan
The Steelers used their first two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft toward the continued overhaul of the offensive line by selecting tackle Troy Fautanu and center Zach Frazier. Along with last year’s first-round selection of tackle Broderick Jones and recent free-agent signings of starters James Daniels in 2022 and Isaac Seumalo in 2023, it seemed as though the job was complete. So when the Steelers were getting ready to make their fourth-round pick, few were expecting it to be used on another offensive lineman.
Mason McCormick of South Dakota State would hear his name called with pick No. 119 and become the newest Steeler. Was this pick just meant to add depth, or did the Steelers look past other obvious needs thinking they may have found a potential starter in McCormick? As a prospect, McCormick was considered a versatile offensive lineman with the ability to play all five positions even though the 57 starts of his college career were spent exclusively at left guard. With the highest possible picks being used to select both tackles and a center over the past two drafts, it would appear that McCormick’s fastest (only?) path to playing time is at guard. McCormick is most likely pushing someone off of the roster. Who might that be?
The Steelers rebuild their offensive line
In May of 2022, Omar Khan was named general manager of the Steelers and Andy Weidl was hired for the assistant GM job. Weidl has largely been credited with the push to rebuild the offensive line. Since their hiring, Khan and Weidl have replaced every offensive lineman they inherited except left tackle Dan Moore and Daniels. Using back-to-back first-round picks on college left tackles demonstrates their desire to upgrade from Moore. In their first go-around at free agency, they spent money on guards Seumalo and Nate Herbig. Both started their careers with the Eagles when Weidl was in the player personnel department in Philadelphia. Things looked solid with Daniels, Seumalo, and Herbig giving the Steelers three veteran players to man the two guard spots.
Just a month after spending that money, the Steelers would use 4 of their 30 allowed pre-draft visits to meet with more guards. At the 2022 draft, they would use a seventh-round pick on Spencer Anderson. Anderson, like McCormick, was touted to have the versatility to potentially play all five positions. He would make the final 53-man roster as a depth player on the interior, as the Steelers had four players (Moore, Jones, Chuks Okorafor, and Dylan Cook) make it specifically as tackles.
It doesn’t make enough sense to use a fourth-round pick on McCormick simply for more interior depth with Seumalo, Daniels, Herbig, and Anderson already on the roster. It’s highly unlikely that the Steelers would keep all five. At tackle, Moore is the only one with a season’s worth of experience. Jones and Fautanu are locks to make the final 53. Cook lacks experience and versatility, but would the Steelers use a fourth-round pick just to replace the fourth tackle when Anderson already supplies that same ability?
McCormick is most likely pushing someone off of the roster. Cook, Herbig, and Daniels are in the final years of their contracts, but Daniels is the only one who wasn’t hand-picked by Khan and Weidl. Moving Daniels would create an additional $8.25 million in 2024 cap space. If the Steelers are happy with their alternatives, it would make sense to include Daniels in a trade before the start of the season and it would make more sense out of drafting McCormick instead of addressing other needs.
By the end of training camp, don’t be surprised if Daniels has a new home elsewhere. Even though it was against FCS competition, don’t be shocked if McCormick’s 57 starts at guard are the reason why.