Steelers Allowed A Perfect Young Backup Center Option To Walk During Free Agency To Titans; Now It's A Massive Problem

Any fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers knows one of the biggest issues with the current roster as we approach the end of the 2023 preseason is the depth at the center position. Mason Cole, who the Steelers signed during the 2022 offseason, is the team's starter. Backing him up is Kendrick Green, who has struggled quite a bit through the Steelers' first two preseason games of 2023. That includes allowing sacks, holding penalties, and botched exchanges between he and the quarterback. The Steelers had a solution to this issue on the team in 2022, and his name was John Leglue. 

Leglue went undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft, before being signed by the Denver Broncos. He bounced around a couple different practice squads before finding his way to Pittsburgh when the Steelers signed him to their practice squad towards the end of the 2020 NFL season. He would end up making his NFL debut with the Steelers due to many injuries along the offensive line during the 2021 season in a game against the Baltimore Ravens. 

He has played in a total of just six games at the NFL level, starting five of them, and they all came during his time with the Steelers. He spent the 2022 season on the team's practice squad, but was signed by the Tennessee Titans to a reserve/future contract following the conclusion of the 2022 regular season. The move made sense for the Titans, as they knew they were going to be releasing veterans Taylor Lewan and Ben Jones, who has also been listed as a solution for the Steelers issues at the center position.

How Would Leglue Have Helped The Steelers? 

Most remember Leglue playing the guard position for the Steelers, however he is now getting some experience at center for the Titans. Leglue was known for being versatile. He started at four different positions along the offensive line during his collegiate career at Tulane. Leglue signed with the Titans on a two-year future/reserve contract - which essentially just means it's cheap. He has a cap hit in 2023 of $870,000, which is about half a million less than Green who is the Steelers current back up center. 

Leglue offers everything the Steelers like in their depth pieces along the offensive line. The main attribute being versatility. Although he started nine games at center in college however, that doesn't mean he is going to be solving any NFL teams problems at center completely. It would be nice to have him as an option though with Green and Ryan McCollum each not playing well through the first two preseason games this season.

If someone had told Omar Khan about the troubles the team would have at the center position going into the 2023 season, he definitely would have considered having Leglue stick around to sign him to another deal. The issues at center aren't entirely just with the backups either. Cole had a rough stretch during training camp of struggling with shotgun snaps. He kept dragging the ball across the ground, forcing the ball to bounce and roll to Kenny Pickett which basically destroyed the entire play.

Hopefully the rough stretch for Cole doesn't continue into the regular season. He played a great game against the Buffalo Bills in the second week of the 2023 preseason, having a key block on Jaylen Warren's 62-yard touchdown run. But there is no doubt the front office will do something to fix the depth at the center position. If Cole goes down, no Steelers fan wants to see Green in a meaningful football game snapping the ball and protecting Pickett. 

Khan and the front office should definitely regret not biting and signing Leglue to a cheap, team-friendly reserve contract. Especially knowing what they are getting in Green and McCollum. Leglue is currently a third-string player on the Titans. It's no guarantee he will make their final roster, so if he gets cut, maybe there is a chance he reunites with the Steelers. 

What do you think, Steeler Nation? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation