Wesley Hitt/Getty Images Dennis Kelly of the Tennessee Titans walks off the field after a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Nissan Stadium on October 25, 2020.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are poised to have a new starter at all five positions along the team’s offensive line in 2021. But many NFL observers aren’t sold on the talent competing to fill those spots, not to mention the backup roles. Case in point is Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report, who argues for signing former Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Dennis Kelly, 31, an unrestricted free agent who has eight years of experience in the league and has played both left and right tackle.
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Potential Fit and Outlook
Part of Sobleski’s rationale is that the Steelers lack a proven option at either tackle spot. It’s true that Chukwuma Okorafor is merely penciled in at left tackle, and that the projected starter on the right side, Zach Banner, has only two career starts, one of which came in the season opener last year, when he suffered a torn ACL.
“The Steelers don’t really have a quality swing tackle on their roster,” begins Sobleski, who believes Kelly—6-foot-8 and 321 pounds—can be the answer to Pittsburgh’s problems.
“Dennis Kelly started 20 games between right and left tackle over the last two seasons. Plus … he helped pave the way for the league’s leading rusher in both of those campaigns,” he adds, making reference to Titans running back Derrick Henry, who rushed for 2,027 yards in 2020. “Kelly can give the Steelers quality depth or a possible new starter,” concludes Sobleski, as Tennessee made him a salary cap casualty back in March.
Indeed, Sobleski isn’t the only analyst to pair the 31-year-old with the Steelers, with Pro Football Focus (PFF) noting that Kelly “acquitted himself reasonably well” last year while filling in for former first-round pick Isaiah Wilson. “He didn’t allow a sack all season and had average or better PFF grades as both a pass-blocker and in the run game. He is best suited to the role of a backup swing tackle but proved he can start and be solid if called on,” adds PFF’s Brad Spielberger.
Of course, it’s doubtful that the Steelers will sign Kelly—or any other offensive tackle—at least until training camp and preseason games get underway. No doubt the team wants to see what Okorafor and Banner look like together at left and right tackle, respectively. The Steelers also have rookie fourth-round pick Dan Moore Jr., while free agent acquisition Joe Haeg (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) has experience playing both guard and tackle. Then there are the five offensive tackles that are signed to one-year Reserve/Future contracts, including Jarron Jones, who faces multiple domestic assault charges after being re-arrested last week.
The other four are: the freakishly athletic former Minnesota Vikings tackle Aviante Collins; former Florida Atlantic product Brandon Walton, who was originally signed by the Steelers last September; John Leglue, a late-season addition to Pittsburgh’s practice squad, who has spent time with the Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers; and Anthony Coyle, a former All-Patriot League Lineman (Fordham) who originally joined the Steelers in April 2020 and spent most of last year on the practice squad, though he was elevated to the active roster for two games.
No doubt the team would like to see one of the above five step up and win a roster spot and provide inexpensive depth.
Dennis Kelly’s NFL Career Arc
But if the calendar says August or September and the Steelers don’t like what they see from their young offensive tackles, it’s not unrealistic to think that the team could sign Kelly to a contract.
Kelly has been in the NFL since 2012, when the Philadelphia Eagles drafted him in the fifth round out of Purdue. He spent three years in Philly, during which time he started 15 of 30 games played. During his five years with the Titans, he appeared in 74 games and made 32 starts, half of which came last season.
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