Should the Steelers draft an interior offensive lineman in the 2023 NFL Draft?

With each Big Board article this spring, the BTSC crew will be publishing a second article complementary to that respective portion of the board. This week, we are going over the interior offensive line position and whether or not the Steelers will want to draft one in April.

If you have thoughts as to whether or not the Steelers should draft an interior offensive lineman this year, let us know in the comment section below. Let’s see what our resident draft analysts have to say.

Ryland B.: After the signings of Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig, the Steelers’ IOL room is looking very solid. James Daniels, Mason Cole, and Seumalo are a great G-C-G combo, and Herbig (and even Kevin Dotson) are quality depth. It’s safe to say IOL is no longer a top position of need on the team, but the Steelers have still shown some interest in draft prospects at center. The team could use an upgrade at backup center, but I certainly don’t think they need to draft a replacement for Cole as the starter. There are far bigger holes on the roster to fill in the early rounds. As a result, I don’t want the team addressing the position until Day 3, if at all.

Adam C.: After being aggressive in the free agent market for the second year in a row, I believe it would be wasteful for the Steelers to target an interior offensive lineman in their early picks. With 5 players currently on the roster with significant starting experience at the NFL level, depth is not an issue. Kendrick Green is the variable in this group which for me determines whether any draft pick will be IOL. I think Green has been unfairly treated by both the Steelers organization and the fans. He started in his first season in the NFL, at a position he’d never played at college. Only 7 Steelers linemen in history have started in their first game for the organization. Yes, he was clearly incapable of being a starter in his rookie season, but with the time and patience that almost every other lineman the Steelers have ever drafted has been afforded, he may now be at least a serviceable back-up.

This may be an unpopular opinion, and as someone who has not seen his performances at practice over the last year, I admit could be an optimistic take. For people who are less sure on Green’s ability as a back-up, then a late round center prospect makes sense. I wouldn’t be against a late round pick, or even spending a 3rd-rounder if a quality center started to slide, such as Jarrett Patterson of Notre Dame.

Andrew Wilbar: The Steelers hammered guard in free agency, which puts the interior of the line on the back burner for now. One guy to watch at center, though, is Troy’s Jake Andrews. He is a tough, hard-nosed, physical football player who lacks ideal length but provides good athleticism for a mid-round option.

Do you think the Steelers should acquire an interior offensive lineman this offseason? If so, when and how should they do it? Let us know your thoughts by voting on the poll and commenting down below.