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Steelers Should Make a Call on FA Vet Nick Martin

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One of the largest looming decisions for the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason is how they’re going to address the many holes on the offensive line. The unit played poorly this past season, and now they’ve lost their cornerstone center and leader in Maurkice Pouncey to retirement. Pouncey didn’t have his best season in 2020, but it’s a huge loss up front and in the trenches with no backup plan seemingly yet in place for the Steelers.

The Houston Texans however, may have given Pittsburgh an option to address their void up front before the upcoming NFL Draft. Earlier this week, they announced the release of their starting center Nick Martin. Martin, like Pouncey, didn’t have his best performance last year and struggled with snaps down the stretch of the season. Perhaps that may work in the Steelers favor and could possibly even lower his price tag just a bit.

The free agent Martin will still have plenty of suitors this offseason. He’s just 27 years old, and wasn’t even that bad last season despite being released less than two years after signing a contract extension. He was decent, which just looks bad when playing on a contract the size of his while in Houston. Martin himself is looking for a bounce back season in 2021. “There’s no doubt it’s motivation” is what he told reporters at the conclusion of last year. Martin started 62 career games for the Texans, including every single game in the last three seasons. He is known to have more success in pass protection than in the run blocking part of his game.

The Steelers should absolutely be one of the team’s inquiring about Martin’s services for this upcoming season. Obviously they still have a ton of cap questions that need to be answered, but signing a serviceable starter would give them much needed flexibility and wouldn’t force their hand to find an immediate starter early in the draft. I’d be surprised if they don’t at least make a call. They need to start filling some of the holes on their offensive line, and adding a veteran with starting experience to a young unit that figures to be shuffled could prove valuable.

So now we want to hear from you, Steeler Nation. Would you prefer the Steelers take the veteran FA signing/draft pick approach to the center position? Or would you prefer to spend the money elsewhere and rely on an early draft pick to fill the need? Let us know below!

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F83

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would be an upgrade over say Finney if we are going the cheap vet road, rather get mack for 1 year and then you can draft a guy like myers, hill or Meinerz who could convert to C
 

SteelerSask2

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IF Ben returns they have to coble together whatever they can do to put some kind of legit contender on the field. It will either be a vet FA or a high draft pick at centre.
 

slashsteel

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I'm thinkin' the stillers will go forth with J.C. Hassenauer. MT really likes him:

Will still draft a center though.
If they went with JC, Ben wouldn't make it to midseason. Trust me he will not be the starter. Take the pen out and scribble it on your calendar. I don't even want the guy back as a backup. Sorry just a horrible option.
 
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Coryea

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If they can pay him, absolutely, they went from the worst rushing team in 2003 to the #2 in 2004 with a couple tweaks to the Oline and a new OC
 

Drink IRON City

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If they went with JC, Ben wouldn't make it to midseason. Trust me he will not be the starter. Take the pen out and scribble it on your calendar. I don't even want the guy back as a backup. Sorry just a horrible option.

So, what your saying is "NO ride in the luxury S10........................."



Salute the nation
 

SteelerFan448

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If they can pay him, absolutely, they went from the worst rushing team in 2003 to the #2 in 2004 with a couple tweaks to the Oline and a new OC
And a coaching staff that committed to it in training camp.
 

Superman

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JC sucks. the best move we can make at Center is to snag Baltimore's FA center. weaken a rival at our position of need.
 

Ike Kelly

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would be an upgrade over say Finney if we are going the cheap vet road, rather get mack for 1 year and then you can draft a guy like myers, hill or Meinerz who could convert to C
BJ Finney is under contract with the Bungles. Doubt they release him, knowing it would help us.
 
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