Isaac Seumalo has been the veteran anchor for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ young offensive line the last three seasons. Credited for helping Dan Moore Jr., Broderick Jones, and Dylan Cook be successful at left tackle, the time has come for the 32-year-old veteran to become a free agent on March 11.
Predicting he will test the market and sign elsewhere, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac shared the Steelers’ plan to replace him.
“They’ll go sign a veteran in free agency, that’s their intention,” Dulac said Monday during his weekly appearance on 102.5 WDVE’s Morning Show with Randy Baumann. “Looking at the free agent market for guards, it doesn’t seem like it’s the greatest. You either have a bunch of old guys, or a bunch of young guys. Seumalo is not a big ticket, but we’ll see. The problem is he’s been nicked a lot lately. He has played, but he doesn’t practice a lot because he seems to be hurt a lot. He’ll probably test the market, but if he leaves, their intention is to sign a guard in free agency to replace him.”
With 12 draft picks in hand, the Steelers could just as easily address the position with a rookie in April. I was expecting to see several formal interviews with guards at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. That was not the case, which suggests limited interest in the rookie class. They could still draft one, but a proven commodity on the veteran market makes more sense to start this season.
Those options include Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller, Kevin Zeitler, James Daniels, Ethan Pocic, John Simpson, and Alijah Vera-Tucker. The names at the top of that list are just as old, if not older, than Seumalo. They should also be on the pricier end. James Daniels is still young and could make sense for a reunion, but he had back-to-back season-ending injuries over the last two years.
Seumalo may not be a big ticket around the league at his age, but there’s a good chance he signs the biggest contract of the Steelers’ departing free agents. That will return a comp pick to the Steelers in 2027, but the return is capped at a fifth-round pick due to his 10 accrued seasons as an NFL veteran.
With a capped compensatory return and an older free agent group, the Steelers could find themselves interested in a reunion after Seumalo tests the market. His age and seven missed games over the last two seasons could keep the cost down and pave the way for another contract in Pittsburgh.
Recommended for you