The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to make the AFC Playoffs as a Wild Card team last season but they are looking to make some changes to the roster. The team has informed starting center Mason Cole that he will be released after starting all 34 games for the last two seasons.
This move clears $4.75 million in cap space for the Pittsburgh Steelers and could interesting for the team going forward. It seems like the franchise wants to get someone a bit more consistent on the field than Mason Cole was able to be. From the sounds of things, Cole was a locker room veteran that his teammates liked but the business of the NFL makes things difficult.
Cole was originally a third-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 after playing college ball for the Michigan Wolverines. He would play three seasons for the Cardinals before playing one season for the Minnesota Vikings. After the Vikings, he would join the Steelers ahead of the 2022 season.
He is one of the least penalized players in the NFL as he has committed 15 total penalties (12 accepted) over the course of 94 games. Cole becomes one of the many cap casualties that we will see over the next couple of weeks ahead of free agency and the start of the new league year.
What center will the Pittsburgh Steelers target after releasing Mason Cole?
Justin Fields, Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons
Jan 6, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Head coach Mike Tomlin call time out during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to want to get a rookie center, which has some benefits to resetting paying the position. there are a few interesting names that they can look at during the 2024 NFL Draft Combine such as Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson and Michigan’s Drake Nugent to name a few.
It will be intriguing to see how general manager Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin address the center position going forward. The team has shown to be ready to take the next step and has some significant questions to answer before free agency officially begins.
