Getty Mike Tomlin watches warm-ups from the sideline.
The Pittsburgh Steelers used their front office connection with the Philadelphia Eagles to add another offensive linemen on March 18.
The Score’s Jordan Schultz reported that the Steelers signed guard Isaac Seumalo to a three-year deal in NFL free agency. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac confirmed the three-year contract.
Seumalo is the second former Eagles offensive linemen that the Steelers have signed this offseason. That’s likely not a coincidence, as the Pittsburgh’s assistant general manager, Andy Weidl, worked in the Eagles front office from 2016-21.
Pro Football Focus called Seumalo “nothing short of spectacular” based on his play last season.
“Seumalo was the model of consistency not just from a health standpoint, earning just one single-game grade below 60.0 on the season – and a 59.4 at that.”
Steelers Sign Guard Isaac Seumalo
The Eagles drafted the 29-yard-old guard in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft. He’s only started every game in two of his seven seasons, but one of those campaigns was 2022.
Seumalo finished the season with the fifth-best player grade at PFF among guards who lined up for 80% of his team’s offensive snaps. That play helped the Eagles offensive line end the season first in pass protection and third in run blocking according to PFF.
In 2020 and 2021, Seumalo missed a combined 21 games because of knee and Lisfranc injuries. But the Steelers appear convinced he’s over that because of his strong play last fall.
Over seven years, Seumalo started 60 games for the Eagles. He mostly played on special teams in 2017 when Philadelphia beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
Of Seumalo’s 60 career starts, 45 of them have come over the last four years.
Projecting Steelers New Starting Offensive Line
With the addition of Seumalo, the Steelers will have four offensive linemen on the 2023 roster that the team has signed within the last 13 months.
On March 14, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported the Steelers signed guard Nate Herbig to a two-year deal worth $8 million. Last year in free agency, Pittsburgh added guard James Daniels and center Mason Cole on three-year contracts.
Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora tweeted that he believes three of those linemen will be the starting interior line for Pittsburgh in 2023.
If Kozora’s projection is correct, Herbig will serve as a backup interior linemen. Adding Seumalo will probably push Kevin Dotson out of the starting lineup as well.
Dotson started all 17 games last season and showed some promise, but he committed 11 penalties. Seumalo had just four penalties, none of which were holding fouls.
Love this stat on new Steelers’ OG Isaac Seumalo.
2022: Four total penalties, zero holds in 17 regular season starts.
By contrast, Kevin Dotson had 11 penalties and four holds. #Steelers
The arrival of Seumalo likely rules out the Steelers selecting either a center or guard in the 2023 NFL draft. But offensive tackle could still on the table.
If the Steelers choose one of the top tackles in the 2023 class at No. 17 overall, that could potentially push left tackle Dan Moore out of the starting lineup.
Theoretically, the team could move Moore to right tackle, but Steelers starting right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor will account for the most cap dollars among the team’s offensive linemen in 2023.
Whether through the draft or free agency, the Steelers will probably add one more tackle. But with Seumalo, the team looks set and much improved on the interior of the offensive line.