In spite of their Wild Card status and ability to go to the AFC Playoffs the previous season, the Pittsburgh Steelers want to make some personnel adjustments. Mason Cole, who started 34 games over the last two seasons, has been notified by the team that he will be dismissed.
For the Pittsburgh Steelers, this move frees up $4.75 million in salary space and may be fascinating in the long run for the franchise. In comparison to Mason Cole, it appears like the team is looking for someone who can be a little more reliable on the field. Despite the challenging nature of the NFL, Cole seemed to be a seasoned member of the locker room who was well-liked by his teammates.
The Arizona Cardinals selected Cole in the third round of the 2018 draft after he had played collegiately for the Michigan Wolverines. Before playing for the Minnesota Vikings for one season, he would play three seasons for the Cardinals. Prior to the 2022 season, he would sign with the Steelers, following the Vikings.
With a total of 15 penalties (12 accepted) in 94 games, he is among the NFL’s least penalized players. Ahead of free agency and the start of the new league year, Cole becomes one of the numerous cap casualties that we will witness over the coming few weeks.
What center will the Pittsburgh Steelers target after releasing Mason Cole?
It has some advantages to reset paying for the position that the Pittsburgh Steelers appear to desire to acquire a rookie center. At the 2024 NFL Draft Combine, they can check out several intriguing names, such as Drake Nugent of Michigan and Jackson Powers-Johnson of Oregon, to mention a couple.
Moving ahead, it will be interesting to watch how coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan handle the center position. Until free agency officially starts, the team has demonstrated that it is prepared to move forward and has a few important questions to address.
