Steelers Made An Investment For The Future At The Guard Position With Mason McCormick: 'It Makes All The Sense In The World'

The Pittsburgh Steelers made upgrading the offensive line a major focus in the 2024 NFL Draft. They scooped up offensive tackle Troy Fautanu in the first round and grabbed University of West Virginia center Zach Frazier in the second round. The team already has two starting-caliber guards in James Daniels and Isaac Seumalo on the roster for 2024, but added South Dakota State's Mason McCormick in the fourth round. Despite not needing one for the immediate future, General Manager Omar Khan added to the group with his eyes potentially on 2025 and beyond. 

McCormick comes to Pittsburgh with plenty of experience having started in a school record 57 consecutive games. While he might not be asked to start as a rookie in 2024, his starting job could come sooner rather than later. Steelers insider for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Ray Fittipaldo, said on a recent North Shore Drive podcast that he was initially surprised at the team picking a guard in the fourth round with other needs still prominent. Taking a step back and looking at the longer term, he sees why the team did it. 

"I was scratching my head a little bit on Saturday when they made that McCormick pick, but it makes all the sense in the world now when you look at your team building for 2025. I trust what Andy [Weidl] and Omar [Khan] are doing here. It seems like they know what they want to do and they've got a path leading forward." 

Pittsburgh already had Nate Herbig and Spencer Anderson as depth options at guard for the 2024 season, but adding McCormick gives them another piece. Pittsburgh has been relatively healthy on the offensive line the last seasons. Since joining the team in 2022, Daniels has only missed two games in the 2023 season. Seumalo started all 17 games for the team in his first season. 

McCormick's tape from playing against Iowa was a highlight for offensive line coach Pat Meyer. He said the game McCormick had against a Power Five school proved he could play against top competition, and that's what helped get him on the Steelers' radar. 

Steelers Planning For Future At Guard With McCormick Selection

Daniels' deal will be up after the 2024 season, as will Herbig's. Seumalo's contract ends after the 2025 season. Pittsburgh will likely need an infusion of talent at the guard position in the coming seasons, which is why it makes sense to get a player like McCormick into your program now. He can learn the ropes from the veterans and hopefully come in to take over when they leave.    

Multiple guards, including former Steeler, Kevin Dotson, got paid big money in the 2024 offseason. That's one of the big reasons why Fittipaldo thinks it was a smart move by the team to grab McCormick. If Daniels wants a big contract next season, the team has an in-house option to step in. 

Even if the team manages to find a price point where it makes sense to keep Daniels beyond the 2024 season, McCormick will still be cheap depth. Seumalo was brought in to be a steadying force on the offensive line and a veteran leader. He'll be 33 when his deal expires. He could still play beyond that, but it's fair to wonder how effective he will be as he starts into his early thirties.  

It might not be the most exciting pick in the fourth round when the team still needs help at cornerback and on the defensive line, but it fits the new vision that Khan and Weidl have for the Steelers. They want to be a tough, physical team that will run the ball down your throats. Having a plan for building the offensive line is a key factor. 

Do you agree that McCormick feels like an investment for the future? Do you think the team should keep Daniels after 2024?