With the Steelers’ 2023 offseason well underway following a disappointing season that came up just short of reaching the playoffs, it’s time to begin reloading, through the free agency process, through the draft, and perhaps even through trade.
This is now a young team on the offensive side of the ball, though one getting older on defense. Both sides could stand to be supplemented robustly, including in the trenches—either one. Changes have been made to the coaching staff, even if not all of the desired ones, as the roster continues to renew with the weeks ticking by.
These sorts of uncertainties are what I will look to address in our Buy or Sell series. In each installment, I will introduce a topic statement and weigh some of the arguments for either buying it (meaning that you agree with it or expect it to be true) or selling it (meaning you disagree with it or expect it to be false).
Topic Statement: The Steelers’ 2023 offensive line room will be mostly made up of new faces.
Explanation: The Steelers signed three veteran offensive linemen in unrestricted free agency in starter Isaac Seumalo and reserves Nate Herbig and Le’Raven Clark. They also drafted tackle Broderick Jones in the first round and the versatile Spencer Anderson in the seventh round. While they have parted with some of last year’s room—Jesse Dave, Trent Scott, and J.C. Hassenauer—they return six of the nine linemen from 2022, including four projected starters along with Kevin Dotson, a two-year starter, and Kendrick Green, a former third-round pick who started in 2021.
Buy:
In a sneaky way, this is basically another way of positing that Anderson will make the team, because the rest are pretty much a given. Seumalo and Jones are likely both going to be in the starting lineup, or at least Jones won’t have to wait too long. Herbig is a priority reserve and even possible starter. Le’Raven Clark might be somewhat vulnerable, but with the lack of tackle depth beyond the top three, his job is currently safe.
Given the lack of depth at center as well, that makes Anderson a very desirable player, because he is able to play all five offensive line positions. He even did so in college, albeit not evenly distributed. He has a good amount of experience starting at tackle, however, and could be the fifth tackle and guard in addition to the backup center. That leaves Dotson and Green on the outside looking in along, leaving Chukwuma Okorafor, James Daniels, Mason Cole, and Dan Moore Jr. as the only carryovers with five new faces.
Sell:
Let’s start off by acknowledging a little bit of reality here. Any scenario in which Le’Raven Clark has a pre-stamped ticket to a spot on the 53-man roster is a troubling one. And this fortunately isn’t one of them. He will have to earn his spot, even if he may well end up winning it.
But the backup center is not currently on the 53-man roster. Or at least, it’s not Anderson, who at this point has less experience at center than Kendrick Green does, as much as fans want to see the latter gone. Right now he has a better chance of making the team than Anderson.
But perhaps neither do. This front office has already shown that it’s always prepared to make a move. Expect the addition of a veteran center at some point over the course of the next month or so, possibly even a trade. The Steelers tend to be good for one of those during training camp, and center is as logical a position as any right now.
