Player: OG Isaac Seumalo
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: While Isaac Seumalo is entering the last year of his deal with the Steelers, they have given no indication that they plan to move on. It doesn’t appear that an extension is imminent, but they are also not currently preparing a replacement or successor. Indeed, they haven’t given a great deal of consideration to the interior offensive line in this draft class.
Isaac Seumalo is 31 years old and has a notable injury history. Even last season with the Steelers, he missed the first month. But when he returned, he stepped right back into form and maintained a consistent level of performance. Indeed, he is the type of player HC Mike Tomlin would refer to as a “Steady Eddie.”
And he doesn’t let the Steady Eddies go easily. Sure, Isaac Seumalo is 31 years old, but offensive linemen have a longer shelf life. Even with nine years under his belt, he has only played a little more than 6,000 snaps. He has more tread left than other starters of his age and experience. That’s partly due to the injuries he has dealt with, granted, but if he stays healthy, he is not declining.
The Steelers don’t appear to be in a rush to replace him or groom a successor. Seumalo will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026, and they have given no indication that they plan to approach him about signing an extension later this year.
But the Steelers also haven’t shown much interest in guards in this draft class. And I don’t think they necessarily count on Spencer Anderson to succeed Isaac Seumalo. Meanwhile, they talked about providing a challenge for Mason McCormick at right guard. Even that hasn’t surfaced, but he should worry before Seumalo.
I suppose what I’m saying is don’t be surprised if Isaac Seumalo is still the Steelers’ left guard in 2026. They can’t really afford to spend a draft pick on a guard this year, frankly. And there are no surefire internal candidates, either. As long as he is healthy and affordable, there’s no reason to think they won’t re-sign him. And perhaps take it on a year-to-year basis after that.
With the new league year underway and the Steelers turning their roster over, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of that change the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract.
There is still a long way to go before we know what this Steelers team is going to look like. Once the dust settles on free agency, we turn our attention to the draft, and so on. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? If they traded for one player, they could certainly trade for another, or trade one away. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
