In a surprising move, the Pittsburgh Steelers released veteran G, David DeCastro, per Tom Pelissero. The move came as a shock to many because the offensive line was considered to be one of, if not, the biggest weakness for the Steelers. Now that he is on the market, would it make sense for the Bengals to kick the tires?
The Bengals have had their own issues with the offensive line in recent years. Veterans Quinton Spain and Xavier Su’a-Filo are slated to compete for the LG spot, both of whom are natural LG’s. Rookie 2nd round pick, Jackson Carman, meanwhile, is the current favourite to start at RG.
Looking at the positives that DeCastro would bring, consistency is a major one. He has been a mainstay on some impressive Steeler teams for close to a decade. According to PFF, The 6x Pro Bowler and 2x first team All Pro G has only given up 2 sacks on over 2200 snaps since 2017. After receiving a 90.0 from PFF in 2017, his grades have dipped, but were still in the 70’s in 2018 and 2019.
Looking closer at the negatives, his 64.1 PFF grade in 2020 is one place to start. While PFF is certainly not the be all, end all, the dip is still something to make note of. However, DeCastro seems to have been playing injured in 2020, perhaps allowing more room for some benefit of the doubt.
Digging a little bit deeper, Mike Garafolo is reporting that DeCastro is still having issues with his ankle after having surgery just one year ago. He further states that DeCastro is currently evaluating his future in the NFL.
While the Steelers’ decision to release him still comes as a surprise, it makes a lot more sense now that the injury concerns have come to light. DeCastro could potentially be an option for the Bengals when his future becomes more clear, but if the ankle continues to be a concern, it may be best for the Bengals to steer clear.
Modified Home screen image via: Erik Drost (CC)
