Just a couple of weeks ago, it looked like the Steelers could possibly be in the market for an interior offensive lineman.
After all, left guard Ramon Foster, who's been with the team longer than anyone not named Ben Roethlisberger, was set to head into free agency. And it didn't appear the Steelers were going to make a push to re-sign the 33-year-old.
Then, surprisingly, the Steelers did an about face, signing Foster to a two-year, $8.25-million contract, keeping the interior of their line of Foster, center Maurkice Pouncey -- who also signed a contract extension -- and right guard David DeCastro intact for the eighth-straight season, something unheard of in today's NFL.
It also means they're all getting up in age.
But with B.J. Finney and Matt Feiler waiting in the wings -- if Feiler doesn't win the starting right tackle position -- the Steelers have some potential replacements in place, as well.
Much like the quarterback position, the Steelers won't be looking to add to the position in the draft -- unless the value is just too good to pass up -- but they'll keep a close eye on whether or not there are any interior linemen selected in the first 19 picks.
Remember, after all, that DeCastro was the first guard taken in his draft in 2012 and went 24th overall. Pouncey, meanwhile, was the 18th pick in the 2010 draft and the first center selected that year. Both have been All-Pro players.
There are at least three -- and possibly four -- players who project as interior linemen available in this draft that could be first-round draft picks: centers Garrett Bradbury of N.C. State and Erik McCoy of Texas A&M, and guards Cody Ford of Oklahoma and Jonah Williams of Alabama.
Bradbury, who won the Rimington Award as college football's best center in 2018, has athleticism and speed comparable to Pouncey.
McCoy, meanwhile, could sneak into the end of the first round for a team looking for a solid starting center with both size and athleticism.
Ford and Williams are both college tackles who might be forced to move inside at the NFL level, though both also could wind up at tackle in a league starved for solid players to work on the outside.
Ford isn't quite as nimble as Williams and also doesn't have his athleticism. But at 6-foot-4, 329 pounds, he's got a big base and started 14 games at right guard in 2018. He might project better right away as an interior lineman who can win with his combination of size and strength.
Williams, meanwhile, was one of the top left tackles in college football the past few years, but might have to kick inside because of shorter arms (33 5/8 inches) than some would like at that position in the NFL.
Regardless of where he lines up, the team that selects Williams won't be disappointed. A three-year starter at Alabama despite being an early entrant into the draft, he's got 44 games of starting experience under his belt.
And a giant chip on his shoulder because of the way he's being classified because of his arm length.
"I think that’s a small portion of what it takes to be a tackle at the next level," Williams said of his short arms. "I think if you look at a lot of the really successful tackles over the past 10 years – Joe Thomas, Joe Staley, Jake Matthews, Jason Peters, La’ell Collins, Riley Reiff, Ryan Ramczyk – just a couple guys off the top of my head that have shorter arms than me -- I don’t think that’s necessarily a huge deal. I’m proud of the way I play. My approach to the game makes me a great player. So, if my fingers were an 1/8 of an inch longer, I might be good enough. I think the way that I play is what defines me as a football player. I value the opinion of those people (coaches) and I think the impression I make on the people I play against, more so than speculation about statistics."
Practicing against Alabama's talented defensive line on a daily basis surely prepared Williams for what he'll face in the NFL.
"Iron sharpens iron. I think (Quinnen Williams) makes us better and we make him better. Obviously, a phenomenal player," Williams said of his former teammate, who is expected to be a top-5 selection. "You saw what he was able to do this year, how he was able to produce. I think he’s gonna do great things in the NFL. He’s another guy who’s probably not the ideal size but I think he makes up for it with the way he plays, his technique, his approach to the game. And I think that’s what makes him a special player."
If any of those four players are selected before the 20th selection -- and at least two, if not more, could be -- it could be good news for the Steelers.
There are at least nine or 10 players on the interior line with a good chance to become solid NFL starters and hear their names called in the first two days of the draft, including center Lamont Galliard of Georgia, guard Chris Lindstrom of Boston College, Michael Dieter of Wisconsin and Penn State's Connor McGovern.
McGovern started 35 games at guard and center for Penn State in three seasons after starting nine games as a true freshman. McGovern sees his ability to play both at a high level as a big advantage.
"I've prepared my whole life playing both positions. And then when I went to Penn State they moved me to tackle," McGovern said. "So I had all five positions down. So when I played center it made everything easier because I knew what everyone was doing and making sure everyone was on the same page."
