INDIANAPOLIS -- While the Steelers won't be in the market for an offensive lineman in this year's draft, they will be keeping an eye on the offensive line group at the NFL Scouting Combine here, and for good reason.
This year's offensive line group has some highly rated prospects. And if those guys test and perform well in their interviews, it could benefit the Steelers in the draft in April.
How so?
Picking 20th in the first round of the draft, if four or five offensive linemen go before the Steelers make their selection, it makes it more likely a player they might want will fall.
Despite the loss of offensive line coach Mike Munchak, who took the same position in Denver earlier this year to be closer to his family, and the potential departure of longtime starting left guard Ramon Foster in free agency, the Steelers feel like they're in a pretty good position with their offensive line.
Matt Feiler, who played in 10 games at right tackle in place of starter Marcus Gilbert last season, will get an opportunity to battle B.J. Finney for Foster's spot at guard, if the 33-year-old is not retained. They also have Chuks Okorafor, a third-round pick in 2018, and Jerald Hawkins waiting in the wings, though Hawkins missed all of last year with a leg injury.
Some have speculated the Steelers might part ways with Gilbert, who has missed 20 games the past two seasons because of injuries and a four-game PED suspension, and he's due to earn $4.865 million in base salary and count $6.6 million against the team's salary cap in 2019 in the final year of his contract. The Steelers would save $4.9 million against their 2019 cap if they released Gilbert.
But General Manager Kevin Colbert sounds like he still counts Gilbert in the team's plans for 2019.
"We have the two starters – Al Villanueva and Marcus Gilbert," Colbert said when asked about his offensive tackle position. "Matt Feiler did a great job stepping in when Marcus got hurt. Chuks Okorafor did a nice job when Matt got hurt and Marcus was out. So really, that’s four guys who have played in legitimate NFL games. Jerald Hawkins, the year before, was working in some packages as an extra tight end and was showing some promise before he got hurt last spring.
"The depth there is good right now, although a couple of them have to work their way through some injuries."
The Steelers could change their mind about Gilbert moving forward if they need additional cap space or their doctors don't feel he'll hold up in 2019. But the 31-year-old might be the team's best run blocker when healthy and is an upper-tier right tackle in the NFL.
Top prospects Jonah Williams of Alabama and Jawaan Taylor of Florida, a pair of offensive tackles, are sure to be selected before the Steelers pick. And with so many teams in need of offensive line help, there's a chance offensive tackles Dalton Riser (Kansas State) and David Edwards (Wisconsin), and guard Chris Lindstrom (Boston College) are chosen before the Steelers pick, as well.
That would be good news for the Steelers, who would then have a much better chance to acquire a defensive playmaker they desire. Despite tying for the league lead in sacks with 52 last season, the Steelers forced just 15 turnovers.
"The game has changed. We sacked the quarterback at a very good rate, but our takeaways are not very good at all," Colbert said. "It’s really reflective on the players we have back there. What we want to look at, what we want to value looking forward is let’s value the takeaway, capable guys who have shown they’ve been able to do that in college. Our game has always been about getting physical players who can come off the edge and close off the edge and make a tackle. But are they doing that at the expense of not making plays on the football?
"We have to maybe try to find that balance and maybe be more open to the concept that the game is constantly changing and if you want playmakers in the back end, then find someone who has done it."
