Player: G James Daniels
Stock Value: Down
Reasoning: Daniels himself told reporters that the Steelers do not intend to sign him to an extension. That doesn’t guarantee they won’t attempt to re-sign him after the season, but it’s not a good sign. Still young and in his prime, Daniels can set himself up for a nice third contract in 2025. But with the lack of commitment, the Steelers may consider trading him, or even replacing him as a starter.
We heard from the horse’s mouth through the donkey’s keyboard that the Steelers won’t sign James Daniels to an extension. Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reported that Daniels confirmed that to him directly, so we can assume this is accurate.
As a starting offensive lineman, it’s not a good sign that the Steelers want him to play out his contract. At the very least, that signals that they need to get a better look at him before wanting to commit further. Yet Daniels has already played two full seasons, so what will they find out if they don’t know now?
Yes, the Steelers are installing a new offense with new quarterbacks in place, that is true enough. However, they still have the same offensive line coach, and he is primarily responsible for James Daniels’ performance.
More likely, this seems to be a decision with an eye toward the future. The Steelers have a bit of cap cushion right now, though they could spend that on a wide receiver. But they know they have potentially large commitments coming down the chute, particularly at cornerback. They also have Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu, and Zach Frazier potentially needing new contracts in three to four years, making Daniels the odd man out.
For example, the Steelers already cited Daniels’ contract status as one reason they drafted Mason McCormick. We also later learned they have seemingly moved Spencer Anderson to a full-time guard role. Are they taking the 2024 season to audition these two young players as potential replacements for Daniels in 2025?
And what if a team suffers an injury in training camp? If they offer the Steelers a third-round pick for Daniels, are they not trading him? It depends on what they see out of their other guards. But you never want to hit free agency if your goal is to remain with one team. Even if you get the opportunity to choose, the fact that you got there means your team was willing to lose you.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
