Following the draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers may attempt to sign a lineman. Is Donovan Smith the right candidate for the job?
Before the season begins, the Pittsburgh Steelers will probably need to sign at least one more big free agent. However, it might happen after the draft, and if things don’t turn out the way they had hoped, it might even hit offensive tackle.
Donovan Smith, a former tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs, is among the best tackles available on the open market. Smith, who has played a good number of plays at left tackle, might start with Broderick Jones.
Smith is the experienced player who may replace Dan Moore Jr. in the starting lineup if they want someone to step in and take his place.
Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus claims that Becton is available for a one-year, $2.5 million contract. Although Smith has had setbacks during his career, in recent seasons he has shown himself to be a more reliable player. If the Steelers do not land the lineman they desire in the 2024 NFL Draft, he can definitely start out as an upgrade above Dan Moore Jr.
With four selections in the Top 100 and five in the Top 120, the Steelers should be able to fill most, but not all, of their holes. There will probably be one obvious need that is not very great. Furthermore, I believe the post-free agency phase will be crucial for that. They added Chandon Sullivan, Markus Golden, and Kwon Alexander to their roster following the draft of the previous year. Smith might be included in the group. It makes sense to get someone who could replace Jones, as Omar Khan stated that Jones would eventually return to left tackle.
As I’ve mentioned previously, offensive line adaptability is crucial. Although he was selected as a left tackle, Jones demonstrated his ability to play right tackle last season. He will also eventually become a left tackle. Time will tell when that happens, but Khan stated that he was selected as a left tackle in the draft.
Last season, Moore was among the worst offensive tackles in the entire league. Pro Football Focus reports that in 2023, he gave up eight sacks, which tied for eighth-most in the NFL. Moore had the sixth-lowest pass-blocking grade in the league (PFF: 39.7).
