What’s going on with Steelers guard David DeCastro?
That is a really valid question.
And with it comes no hint of an answer.
But does it seem to you there is starting to be a little too much smoke around the situation for there to not be any fire at all? Sure feels that way to me.
Is something definitely up? Can’t say that.
But this has become odd. Like, really odd.
DeCastro, who at times has been downright dominant and a reliable force for the organization at guard since he was a first-round pick in 2012, is beginning to be a mystery – and partly because he is counted on to be such a big piece.
After all, this is a six-time Pro Bowl guy we are talking about here, not some run-of-the mill interior lineman just plugged in at guard and asked to hold a fort down.
No, DeCastro is charged with the duty of taking the game to the guy across the ball.
But now he’s, in a sense, gone missing.
MIA. What’s his status? What’s the deal? Do we even know?
With a year left on his contract (and at 31 years old) let’s remember DeCastro missed some time last season with a knee injury --- all the way back to the 2020 training camp. It was obvious when he did return full-time in Week 7, he was not the influence he normally is.
There was no bulldogging his opponent. He didn’t pound people into the ground. He didn’t dismantle defensive tackles how he normally does.
In short, DeCastro kind of looked pedestrian out there over the latter half of the Steelers’ season and, to the untrained eye, it would have been impossible to spot the guy the organization had invested so much in. He had become, in a sense, just another player --- and maybe even a below average player in some games.
Fast forward to mini-camp that wrapped up recently and DeCastro was seen at times, but never went through any drills and didn’t participate with any equipment on. He just sort of stopped by to say “hello.”
Should that alone raise questions? Well, actually yes.
If DeCastro is recovering from the injury still, what is the timeframe in which he will be back to full steam? Or, even more, has there been a setback in recovery?
But if DeCastro not going through mini-camp didn’t do enough to have you question things, the hammer came last week in the form of a visit from guard Trai Turner --- a free agent who has made the Pro Bowl five times.
If the Steelers are comfortable with their arrangement and DeCastro is 100 percent A-OK, why in the world would a guy like Turner be interested in the organization and, more so, why would the organization be interested in him?
The math here all seems so simple.
There has to be something going on.
Actually, I’ll stop short of saying there has to be something going on. But I will say this: If there was nothing going on, Turner would never have made his way to the South Side to look around.
So I’m not going to say there is a fire with David DeCastro, but until someone proves otherwise, it sure smells like there’s some smoke.