The Pittsburgh Steelers were in a predicament after All-Pro guard David DeCastro failed to recover from bone spurs in his ankle and was released in June of 2021. At that point, DeCastro was supposed to be the leader of a young and inexperienced group that had just lost Maurkice Pouncey to retirement, and Alejandro Villanueva to the Ravens via free agency.
Instead, the Steelers were forced to see what was available in a free agent market that had been picked over for three months. They settled on Trai Turner who was coming off an injury riddled season with the Los Angeles Chargers. His season was so poor that the Chargers released him one year after trading for him. Turner was instantly forced into a leadership role for the Steelers, and it was one he seemingly embraced from the start.
“There are questions from the younger guys, and I see from the standpoint that I’m the older guy here now,” Turner said. “But we have two really good coaches and we have a lot of support. So, me along with other coaches, we are going to give the right answers. We get on the same page and we ball. That’s all that matters.”
Now Turner is a free agent, and the Steelers seemingly don't have his replacement on the roster. He signed a one-year, $3 million dollar deal with the Steelers last season, but is set to get quite a pay raise this off-season. Teams shied away from Turner last off-season because it was unclear if he was going to be healthy, but he showed this season that his health is back. But he isn't the same player he was with the Carolina Panthers when he made five straight Pro Bowls from his rookie season on.
The Steelers will get Kevin Dotson back who missed almost the entire 2021 season with a high ankle sprain, but after a promising rookie campaign, 2021 was a huge disappointment. He was expected to make a large jump in year two, but from the get-go there were issues. It was reported at the time that the Steelers coaching staff was upset with Dotson's off-season workout program. Video's showed Dotson had been training, but the Steelers apparently didn't like where his level of conditioning was at.
If Dotson doesn't step up, then the Steelers are in dire need for a guard. You have the option of moving Kendrick Green to guard, but it might be a wise choice to make a run at Turner so you don't have to be forced into that decision.
Turner will reportedly command a salary in the range of $18 million over three years according to Bleacher Report. But Pro Football Focus has him slated for a two-year contract worth around $12 million. If the Steelers have their choice, the two-year deal would be perfect for them. It would allow them to keep their leader on the offensive line as they transition to another offensive line coach. Oddly enough, the Steelers new offensive line coach Pat Meyer was with the Chargers while Turner was in Carolina, and then with Carolina after Turner was traded to the Chargers. So if precedent is set, then Turner won't be returning.
Turner was rated the Steelers most improved player in 2021 by PFF. Obviously his previous number was with the Chargers, but he went from a 34.8 grade in 2020, to 68.1 in 2021. That placed him at #30 among 79 qualified guards.
Do you think the Steelers should make a run at re-signing Trai Turner? Let us know in the comment section below.
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