The Steelers have made another big splash in the offensive line market. The team is signing guard James Daniels to a three-year, $26.5MM contract, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter link).
Daniels will see $8.75MM fully guaranteed on this deal, per Spotrac (on Twitter), essentially covering the 2022 season. His cap numbers come in at $4.1MM for 2022 before spiking to $11.1MM in each of the contract’s final two seasons.
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The 24-year-old began his career with the Bears. He started 48 of 54 games during that four-year span, establishing himself as a serviceable starter. The former second round pick set a career high in terms of snaps played this past season, with 1,122.
2021 was also his best campaign from an analytical perspective. He earned a PFF grade of 71, making him a solid option in this year’s free agent market. In Pittsburgh, he will join a team that’s been in need of upgrades throughout the offensive front. He will also be re-joining former Bears teammate Mitch Trubisky, who is reportedly joining the Steelers to compete for the starting quarterback role. The pair spent three seasons together in Chicago.
This is the third notable move the Steelers have made regarding their o-line recently. They reached an agreement with Mason Cole yesterday, meaning the unit could look very different when the 2022 season begins. That will likely be a welcome sign for Pittsburgh, as the team continues to re-shape its offense in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era.
Daniels and Cole are welcome additions, love their youth being 24 and 25 respectively. Now you have to wonder where they go with pick #20 in the draft.
Wouldn’t be surprised at all if they trade up to take a swing on one of the QB prospects. That Trubisky deal isn’t sure thing starter money. But could also see them just seeing what falls to them among the top linebackers and corners.
Hope they don’t trade up for one of these mediocre qb’s. Get the DL from Georgia to solidify a terrible run D
I mean, I would only like them to trade up for one of them because I’d like the Jets to trade down, but it also kind of looks like that’s the plan. Personally, I wouldn’t love drafting Davis in the first round, but I love Wyatt. There are ways to fix the run defense without committing a first round pick. Investing in a CB in the first round and trying to land Travis Jones in the second would make more sense to me.
However they improve the run d I’m all for.
NT is needed as are linebackers. Team wont go anywhere until that run defense is improved.
Don’t see Colbert trading up for a db, not his thing. If he trades up it will probably be o line or linebacker I’m guessing.
No QB for me is worth moving up for
Oh, I didn’t mean trade up for one of those other positions. Those would be waiting at 20 to see who falls.
Not a Pitt fan but living here and having seen Pickett progress, sorry, he’s not mediocre. The kid has talent and leadership skills. He has an arm and reads defenses. I wonder only about the “small hands” debate and whether how much of it is overblown
That said, I’m not sure any of these guys are true round 1 types if your barometer is Burrows or Herbert
I am a Pitt fan and I don’t see Pickett being a qb worth trading up for
Based on what…..
Small hands. 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Yeah he does hve small hands lol
As a Hawkeye and Bears fan I have watched Daniels for years. He is a hell of an athlete for an interior lineman. He is also a very avg bloker.
They go with best player available at #20. Colbert isn’t going to mortgage future draft picks to move up and leave his successor with his hands tied next year. Also there’s enough holes on the roster that talent should and will be the determining factor in the pick, not positional need. Personally I think it will end up being Devin Lloyd, Trent McDuffie or Andrew Booth. They clearly, in true Steelers fashion, shored up the O-line with mid tier free agents presumably because they view that group as a strength in this draft where they can grab a quality prospect on day 2 or early day 3 to finish remaking the whole unit. I know it would draw a lot of immediate heat based on team needs and ultimately I don’t expect him to be available but I would love to see them get Drake London.
Those would all make sense. Maybe Dean if Lloyd is gone.
Love this move for them. I feel like Bears fans never got over their early disappointment in Daniels, but he’s already shaped up to be a solid starter, he’s not even 25 yet, and might have even better football ahead of him, while this whole contract is less than the guarantees Tomlinson got at 30.
He has youth and may have better football in him. Maybe better coaching (?) will bring that out.. But I watched him get pushed around by tougher D lineman in the run game over his time with the Bears. I wish him the best.
You don’t get much better coaching as an offensive lineman than you would get at Iowa. Daniels is almost guaranteed to be what he is at this point.
does anyone know what Tuitt’s plans are?
It’s clear the Steelers are trying to take OL off the board in round 1. Almost positively going defense at this point, likely DL, maybe ILB. In any case, highly likely it’s best available defensive player.
Given the lack of picks this year, wouldn’t hate trading down. Either a few spots to get a mid round pick or out of the first round entirely and get an extra 1st for next year. That would certainly help in securing a franchise QB next year, barring Trubisky turning it all around.
Don’t know what’s still out there but hope they’re not done yet. Kind of strange they threw a chunk of money at Orakafor and then Maulet, who looked horrible last year.
And there’s my answer. Just signed Levi Wallace from the Bills.
Daniels was another Pace fail. Got overpowered all the time at C and was average as a guard. Bears 2 big T additions from last year might play better as guards so I’m not surprised they let him walk. If you plan on running the ball, Daniels is the last guy you want. Whitehair slides back to C with Borom and Jenkins as G’s and the Bears might have something.
He certainly wasn’t a failure. What a ridiculous comment.
Not sure what games you were watching.
You yourself said he was average at guard. WIth the uncertainty of the NFL draft average is not failing especially if outside of round 1.
Well I’d explain football to you but it would take way too long so suffice it to say, If you want to run the ball in the NFL you need lineman who knock 320 lb defensive lineman off the ball. That sure as hell ain’t Daniels. No big loss.
A couple of things, James Daniels is a very good run blocker so not sure what you were watching. He does occasionally struggle in the passing game. I have watched James Daniels for 7 years. I know more so about
his abilities and skill set than most.
I forgot the second thing. It’s always weird to me when someone questions another persons ability to understand something simply because they don’t agree. This is especially true in your case because almost nobody that understands o-line play at all would agree with your position. But I understand that there is a lot of subjectivity so I’m not going to be ridiculous and say something like learn something about football. But realize your position is not close to being the popular one