The Pittsburgh Steelers found a sleeper in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL Draft in OT Kelvin Beachum, who made 39 starts for the Steelers over the first four seasons of his career. Since leaving Pittsburgh, Beachum has spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, and most recently, the Arizona Cardinals, where he’s played since 2020, starting 62 games. With Beachum set to be a free agent this offseason and confirming that he’s planning to return for Year 14, Beachum could be an intriguing option for the Steelers.
For one, Beachum wouldn’t command a big salary. His recent deal with the Cardinals was a two-year, $5.1 million contract, and Beachum could likely be had on a veteran benefit contract this offseason.
With Dan Moore Jr. likely to depart as a free agent, the Steelers are likely going to roll with Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu as their two starting offensive tackles. Fautanu played in just one game as a rookie before suffering a season-ending knee injury this year, while Jones struggled in Year 2 and didn’t take the leap that many expected he would. Bringing in an experienced offensive tackle like Beachum, who would serve as a veteran mentor and someone who can be relied upon as a solid swing tackle would make a lot of sense for the Steelers.
The Steelers are more than likely going to go outside the organization to find their third offensive tackle, as their best bet right now would be to re-sign Calvin Anderson, who struggled in limited game action this season. I would imagine the Spencer Anderson offensive tackle experiment has probably run its course, so bringing in someone like the 35-year-old Beachum, who started 12 games in 2024 and can come in and be a leader, would be good business.
Aside from his NFL pursuits, Beachum is also a motivational speaker and works with The McCain Institute, as well as other organizations, so he’d be well-suited to work with two young offensive linemen and build them up after a 2024 season that didn’t go how either anticipated. It would be a good signing because of what Beachum could bring to the locker room even if he doesn’t play a snap, but the fact that he could hold his own if he was put into action makes it even better.
It wouldn’t be an attention-grabbing move, but it would be an under-the-radar signing that could pay off in a big way if Kelvin Beachum can really be a mentor and help Jones turn things around and help Fautanu essentially start his career on a high note.
