Ben Roethlisberger said after the season that he thinks center Kendrick Green would be better suited to play guard.
During an interview over the weekend, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin echoed those words.
“Kendrick played center and guard in college so we’re attracted to the position flexibility,” Tomlin said in an exclusive interview with Missi Matthews on Steelers.com
While there are months of work ahead before final decisions are made, the Steelers now have three flexible offensive linemen.
Along with Green, who was drafted in the third round last year, was the starting center for a majority of the year, they’ve also added in free agency.
The Steelers signed former Bears center/guard James Daniels to a three-year $26.5 million deal and former Vikings and Cardinals center/guard Mason Cole to a three-year $15.75 million deal.
Daniels, Rated by Pro Football Focus as the fourth best free agent guard and was 19th best among all NFL guard last season. PFF also ranked him as the 43rd best free agent overall above Jameis Winston, Myles Jack and others. He is just 24-years-old and while likely a guard, provides the position flexibility Mike Tomlin covets. He has the size to not get pushed around at 6’4”, 327-pounds.
Cole, a third-round pick of the Cardinals and started every game his rookie season at center. Traded to the Vikings before the 2021 season, Cole, 25, started seven games at center or right guard before an elbow injury ended his season. He is also a big body at 6’5”, 298-pounds and provides options for a second-year offensive coordinator and first-year offensive line coach.
“Obviously we’re attracted to the position flexibility in those others (Daniels and Cole) when we acquired them in the free agency market, it just gives us great flexibility to sort the group out,” said Tomlin.