The Pittsburgh Steelers Have 3 Intriguing Free Agent Left Tackle Options Available

The Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line improved significantly as the 2022 season went on but it never got quite where it needed to be. This means that the Steelers should be looking to shore up the offensive trench in the offseason either through the draft or the free agency market. 

The most significant area of need on the OL is the left tackle position. The LT position is critical in the NFL and the Steelers need a strong tackle there to help protect QB Kenny Pickett in his second season. The Steelers have been starting Dan Moore Jr at LT for the past two seasons, since drafting him in the fourth round. During Moore's first season, he received a lot of criticism for his struggle to protect Ben Roethlisberger's blindside. Expecting Moore to be able to step into one of the most difficult positions on the offense as a rookie was a huge ask. Between Moore's hard work and the teaching of Coach Pat Meyer, he made huge strides. 

Moore is still under his rookie contract so he will return in 2023 but that definitely does not preclude the Steelers from looking for an upgrade. This leaves two options - drafting a rookie or selecting someone in free agency. Unfortunately, both areas are slim pickings this year. There are several offensive tackles in the draft but the ones who are considered the best at the position are likely going to be gone prior to the Steelers pick. The ones later in the draft will require the same level of hand-holding as Moore and do not change anything immediately. There are a few possible free agents that realistically might be picked up by the Steelers. 

Kelvin Beachum

The first name on the list is a familiar one, Kelvin Beachum was drafted by the Steelers in 2012 in the seventh round. He started as a backup and worked his way into a starting position in his third season. He performed well, ranking as the fifth LT by PFF that season. Since then Beachum has bounced around the NFL a bit, most recently with the Arizona Cardinals. 

Beachum is 33 and has had some of the typical bumps and bruises associated with being a bruiser on the OL. He isn't much of a long-term solution but he does provide some solid and reasonable depth to compete with Moore. His most recent contract with the Cardinals was just under $2 million a year.

Isaiah Wynn

Isaiah Wynn was a first-round draft pick in the 2018 draft by the New England Patriots. Wynn's upside is that he has performed at a relatively high level for the Pats. He has only had one season where PFF scored him under 70.0. However, the downside is he has been injured quite a bit. The injuries do lower his price tag which is a plus but the Steelers would need him to stay healthy to have an impact. If he is healthy and he plays at the level he was between 2019-2021 he could be a difference-maker for the black and gold. Wynn's most recent contract in NE had him earning about $2.8 million a year. 

Taylor Lewan 

Taylor Lewan has become a familiar name in the Steel City as a result of a social media campaign to make him a Steeler. Lewan himself has hinted that he would like to play in Pittsburgh. It feels like there are too many factors working against Lewan for the team to sign him. For one thing, there is the undercurrent of drama between him and TJ Watt. Then he has had two significant injuries and is not young, he is also relatively expensive. 

Lewan was officially cut from the Titans, a victim of their cap needs, after his ninth season. He won't commit but has implied he still has some play left in him. He will not come cheap, but he will be cheaper than Orlando Brown but not as inexpensive as the other two LTs mentioned. In 2022, he received $16 million, his age and injuries will drop that number but he's hinted that he won't play unless the offer is right. 

The lack of available left tackles in free agency and the possibility that we will miss out on the best ones in the draft make the Lewan signing more possible than it seemed before. Despite the injuries, Lewan is still a better tackle than Moore. 

What do you think the Steelers will do with the LT position? Do you think there is a chance they will sign Lewan? Is there another free agent that you think makes more sense for the Steelers? Comment below. 

#SteelerNation