The Steelers on Friday hosted five-time Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner for a visit, kicking the tires on perhaps the best offensive lineman still on the free agent market.
Turner, 28, spent the 2020 season with the Chargers after playing the first six seasons of his career with the Panthers. He was traded last offseason to the Chargers for left tackle Russell Okung.
Turner, a former LSU star, has appeared in 93 career games, starting 89. He was limited to nine games last season with the Chargers because of an ankle injury. Turner had missed at least three starts in each of the previous three seasons before that.
The Chargers released Turner, who had an $11.3 million salary cap hit, at the end of the season.
Interestingly enough, Turner has played right guard over the course of his career, the same position played by six-time Pro Bowl guard David DeCastro. DeCastro struggled through chest and knee injuries in 2020 and did not participate in the Steelers' recently completed minicamp because of an undisclosed issue.
DeCastro was on hand for the opening day of minicamp last Tuesday, but was not with the team on Wednesday or Thursday, though Mike Tomlin said all players who were not in attendance were excused.
• Turner is the second high-profile free agent the Steelers have hosted in recent weeks, joining safety Malik Hooker. But like Hooker, he left town unsigned.
In all likelihood, the Steelers were just kicking the tires on Turner to see how healthy he is, something teams do quite often with free agents.
• Now, this also could be something that signals the Steelers aren't quite confident in DeCastro's health. While I heard nothing this week regarding his health, the fact he didn't participate in practices this week and only attended one after skipping all of the OTAs might be a bad sign.
We'll see. But don't get too caught up in this. Teams kick the tires on free agents all the time, especially at this time of year.
• Somewhat ironically, the Chargers signed former Steelers guard Matt Feiler in the offseason and he could be in line to help Los Angeles replace Turner in the starting lineup. Feiler started at left guard last season for the Steelers, but left in free agency. Kevin Dotson is expected to start in his place.
