The Pittsburgh Steelers sure can’t be accused of sitting on their hands and watching free agency pass them by. Active as any team this offseason, the Steelers have radically changed the look of their team, especially on offense and, most notably, at quarterback.
Still, center remains a need they haven’t addressed. Mason Cole was released prior to free agency, and the Steelers have yet to fill his spot. While their long-term hope will almost certainly come through the draft, it was logical to believe the team would add back a veteran to serve as a bridge or backup.
The top free-agent centers either didn’t hit the market or were scooped up elsewhere. Pittsburgh brought in Mitch Morse for a visit, but he left to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Las Vegas Raiders’ Andre James re-signed with the team, while Lloyd Cushenberry cashed in big-time with the Tennessee Titans. Centers with Arthur Smith connections also went elsewhere. Aaron Brewer landed in Miami and Matt Hennessy in Philadelphia.
Now over one week since the league’s official tampering period began, the center market is looking like the Sahara. Another option came off the board Monday with former Carolina Panthers center Bradley Bozeman inking a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Chargers.
With 77 career starts and likely a relatively cheap price tag, he would’ve been a logical fit. Instead, he’ll join the group Jim Harbaugh is building out west.
The top talent on the market is Connor Williams. But coming off a serious December knee injury, he’s not looking to sign with a team. According to agent Drew Rosenhaus, he’s focused solely on getting healthy. Dolphins’ reporter Barry Jackson shared that news late Sunday night.
It’s not clear when Williams will get back to health, much less sign, but he doesn’t look like an option the Steelers would be counting on to potentially work with the 1’s in the spring and summer while they evaluate a rookie.
Pittsburgh’s remaining options are uninspiring. There’s Sam Mustipher, who started 33 games for the Chicago Bears across the 2021-2022 seasons before serving as a backup for the Baltimore Ravens in 2023. He did play a little more than half the snaps against the Steelers in the Week 18 finale, as the Ravens rested their starters throughout the game.
The Washington Commanders released Nick Gates earlier in the offseason, a ten-game starter last year. Still only 28, he shouldn’t cost much to sign. Pittsburgh could take the Chargers’ former center in Will Clapp, or the Bears’ Lucas Patrick on low-level deals. Michael Deiter stepped in at center for the Houston Texans last season and also has a background at guard.
Perhaps the issue in convincing a veteran center to sign is recognition that the Steelers plan to draft one early next month. They’ve shown plenty of interest in Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson, West Virginia’s Zach Frazier, and Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran-Granger. And GM Omar Khan referenced the team finding its “next great Steelers center.” And that won’t come on a one-year deal one week into free agency.
If Pittsburgh doesn’t sign an external vet option, there are internal choices. Khan mentioned Nate Herbig as a Steeler in the mix, repping center last summer before a preseason injury limited his chances. Spencer Anderson’s versatility played himself onto the roster as a seventh-round rookie and logged reps at the pivot, something he also dabbled in at Maryland. In talent, signing a veteran like Clapp or Gates likely isn’t a significant upgrade over what the team currently has, though their experience would be an asset. Still, it’s clear the Steelers’ center options are thin. It could compel the team to stand pat, attempt to sign a receiver in free agency and go all-in on center early in April’s draft.
