The Pittsburgh Steelers have invested in the guard position over the last two offseasons in both free agency and the draft, and it’s a decision that could wind up paying off in a big way over the next few seasons. We saw the guard market explode this offseason, to the point where the Steelers likely won’t be able to bring back James Daniels as he’s expected to hit the open market next offseason. But the Steelers have a number of options who can step in and replace him, and potentially Isaac Seumalo if he leaves when his contract expires following the 2025 season.
While the Steelers and GM Omar Khan may not have seen the uptick in pay for guards coming, they’ve covered their bases nonetheless. Nate Herbig signed a two-year deal last offseason, and while he’ll also be a free agent after this season, he likely won’t be as expensive to retain given that he was primarily a backup last season and will be again this year, barring injuries. The Steelers also spent a seventh-round pick on Spencer Anderson in the 2023 NFL Draft and Anderson is playing guard full-time after moving all over the line last season. He showed some flashes in the preseason last year and could be an intriguing piece moving forward.
More notably, the Steelers drafted Mason McCormick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and McCormick is a prospect with a ton of collegiate experience and someone who could potentially be a ready-made replacement for Daniels next season. Between Herbig, Anderson and McCormick, the Steelers have capable depth so they don’t have to reinvest in the rising guard market and have three guys who could potentially be future starters. That’s important when considering Seumalo’s contract, as well.
If Daniels leaves in free agency next season, which seems to be the expectation, the Steelers very well could wind up drafting another guard in 2025, as well. That will become even more likely if the team doesn’t re-sign Herbig, who is also Pittsburgh’s backup center right now, giving him added value to the team.
Maybe the guard market will revert course, but it’s unlikely it’ll happen next offseason with the crop of pending free agents seeing what their peers got. It’s also not as if it was a particularly strong class for guards which led to the rise, as Robert Hunt got a contract worth up to $100 million with $44 million guaranteed from the Carolina Panthers despite not even being a Pro Bowler in his career. Daniels will be 27 when he hits the market for a second time and is a solid player, and he’s likely going to get paid a lot of money from someone.
With the Steelers likely not going to pony up, the depth they currently have to develop and potentially turn into future starters is important. Omar Khan and the Steelers front office did a great job adding depth over the last two offseasons, and the Steelers are in a good spot at the guard position going forward even if they lose their current starters.
