Steelers $26 Million Starter Highlighted as Pre-Cutdown Trade Candidate

With the preseason opener almost upon us, the Pittsburgh Steelers must begin to determine how they’d like to construct their 53-man roster ahead of the 2024 campaign.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette beat reporter Ray Fittipaldo tried his hand at predicting that task on August 5, and he discussed an interesting trade possibility within.

While projecting the offensive line, Fittipaldo relayed that “the odd man out, for now, is Dylan Cook” — a blocker that made the roster and remained with the team in 2023. “The Steelers like him,” the media member added, noting that there are still “avenues” for Cook to make the roster again.

One said avenue involves veteran guard James Daniels, an experienced first-teamer with over 80 career starts including the playoffs.

“The Steelers have a surplus of quality guards,” Fittipaldo wrote. “They’re definitely keeping [Mason] McCormick, this year’s fourth-round pick. And they probably will keep [Nate] Herbig if [Zach] Frazier beats him out at center because he’s the only other lineman capable of playing center. [Spencer] Anderson has [also] played well at left guard this summer.”

“The wild card is Daniels, who is entering the final year of his contract,” the reporter went on. “He’s making $8.2 million in salary and counts more than $11 million against the cap. If the Steelers trade him, it would open the door for a younger player to start if they believe McCormick, Anderson, or even [Troy] Fautanu can play there.”

To be clear, Fittipaldo did not predict that a Daniels trade would occur. He merely suggested it as an option — a trade candidate if the younger prospects were to have a strong preseason.

“This is by far the most difficult offensive position group to predict because they have a lot of good young linemen they like,” Fittipaldo concluded.

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Steelers Trading James Daniels Would Free Up Cap Space for Potential WR Move

It’s no secret that the Steelers are still in the market for help at wide receiver. Different NFL insiders confirmed that Pittsburgh is indeed back in on negotiations for San Francisco 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk on August 6.

Those discussions are ongoing, but an Aiyuk extension won’t come cheap if the Steelers end up trading for him.

A Daniels departure would help with that. According to Over the Cap, parting ways with the offensive lineman after June 1 saves $8.25 million in cap space.

A trade would secure that extra salary, as would Daniels’ release if there are no takers.

As things stand on August 7, the Steelers have just under $16 million in available cap space — per Over the Cap. A player of Aiyuk’s status is expected to cost upwards of $25 million per year, although his 2024 cap hit is a manageable $14.124 million.

A recent August 7 update on Aiyuk courtesy of Post-Gazette insider Gerry Dulac informed: “The Steelers have no verbal agreement in place with the 49ers for Brandon Aiyuk and are not in process of hammering out final details, per sources. And any potential deal would NOT involve the Steelers giving up a player.”

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Mason McCormick’s Rise Could Allow for James Daniels Trade

Steelers fans will get a closer look at these OL prospects on August 9, as well as the remainder of the preseason. In terms of a Daniels trade though, the key could be McCormick.

“Fourth-rounder Mason McCormick was the next man up at left guard when there was a rep off for Isaac Seumalo, who won’t play in the preseason opener Friday,” Post-Gazette beat writer Brian Batko stated on August 7.

Steelers Depot contributor Ross McCorkle also chronicled McCormick’s rise on Wednesday morning (Aug. 7), arguing that his early performance “is perhaps more impressive” than Frazier and Fautanu, given his draft status and collegiate competition at South Dakota State.

“McCormick is behind Seumalo and Daniels at the moment, but one injury could change that in a hurry,” the Steelers writer noted later. Adding that Pittsburgh has also “informed” Daniels that they do not plan on extending him after 2024.

“That opens the door for McCormick to become a starter in his second season,” McCorkle deduced, but what if the Steelers see the rookie as a day one starter?

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