Steelers just found the best answer for significant hole on offensive line

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a handful of holes to be filled throughout their roster, and specifically on the offensive side of the ball. The Steelers head into the 2026 offseason potentially looking for a starting quarterback, wide receiver and left guard. After spending three campaigns in the Steel City, the Steelers are not expected to re-sign guard Isaac Seumalo, sending him into free agency and creating a hole on the offensive line. Pittsburgh certainly has a plethora of options to replace Seumalo, but it was recently discovered that they could replace him with one of the best linemen in the league.

Seumalo battled injuries in his final two years in Pittsburgh, but was a steady veteran presence on a young offensive line, helping shape the group into a bright up-and-coming unit. 

His impact went beyond just what showed up on game days, as his experience and leadership helped stabilize a line that has gone through plenty of turnover in recent seasons. While the injuries limited his availability at times, Seumalo was still trusted when healthy and provided a sense of reliability that could be tough to replace. 

As Pittsburgh eyes on potential replacements for Seumalo, it is rumored that another talented guard could also be hitting the free agency market soon, and that is Elgton Jenkins of the Green Bay Packers. 

The Packers drafted Jenkins out of Mississippi State in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Since entering the league, Jenkins has built a reputation as a physical blocker with strong technique and football intelligence. Green Bay awarded Jenkins with a contract extension in 2022, but the Packers decided to move him to center for the 2025 season. Jenkins was performing fairly well at the new position before a leg injury cut his season short.

That 2022 extension has the Packers in an uncomfortable situation heading into 2026, and Matt Okada of the league's official website believes money will be the reason that we could see Jenkins become a free agent this offseason.

"Jenkins carries a $24.3 million cap hit in 2026, and the Packers can free up $19.5 million by cutting him prior to June 1. Those numbers are extremely high for a guard -- fourth-highest cap hit on the team, in fact -- and unheard of for a center," Okada said. "Realistically, it would be shocking if Green Bay, which is slightly over the cap currently, kept Jenkins on the payroll, at least without some sort of significant restructuring."

If the Steelers were to sign Jenkins, they would move him back to left guard with Zach Frazier handling the snapping duties for the foreseeable future. That move alone would likely make the Steelers’ interior offensive line one of the more stable units in the AFC. Frazier and right guard Mason McCormick have shown plenty of promise when given opportunities, and pairing them with a seasoned player like Jenkins could accelerate their development even further. 

There is, of course, the financial side of things to consider. Jenkins will not come cheap; however, the Steelers are expected to have some flexibility heading into the offseason, and investing in the offensive line has rarely been a bad decision for this franchise. If Pittsburgh believes Jenkins can stay healthy and return to his previous form, the move could pay off quickly.

Steelers should sign Elgton Jenkins despite his recent injury

Despite coming off a fractured fibula, Jenkins would be an impactful acquisition for the Steelers. At 30 years old, Jenkins still has plenty of football left in him, and like Seumalo, he can bring a veteran presence to a young and improving offensive line. 

The Steelers have made it clear in recent drafts that they want to build through the trenches, and adding someone like Jenkins would fit perfectly with that philosophy. It would also take pressure off the rest of the offense, especially whoever ends up starting at quarterback in 2026.