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The risk and reward of pursuing free agent OT J'Marcus Webb

Whether the Steelers should pursue the highly talented but curiously inconsistent tackle has solid reasons behind "yes" and "no."

By Neal Coolong
Jonathan Daniel

The Steelers' offensive line does not have great depth. That's true now, and it will likely be true after they cut down their roster to 53 players this afternoon.

A player as talented as J'Marcus Webb, recently released by the Chicago Bears, will tantalize a team without depth at the tackle position.

Match the two up, it seems only logical the Steelers would kick Webb's tires a little in the last few hours before the cutdown deadline.

He has great upside, and has performed very well at times. He has painful downside, as he was a key contributor to the Bears' porous line over the last two years, highlighted by quarterback Jay Cutler's berating - and his subsequent "yeah, good one, Jay!" smile afterward.

Getting players like that on the cheap and having them play to their potential, not their contract, is a key part to any successful franchise. Whether the Steelers do, in fact, pursue Webb remains to be seen, but the play of Mike Adams and Marcus Gilbert, not to mention injury concerns with both players and a shaky back-up situation based on their current roster, could compel them to give Webb a shot.

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