Steelers Lost Out On Pro Bowl Lineman During Free Agency To Jaguars: 'I Want To Go To Football Heaven'
Steelers Lost Out On Pro Bowl Lineman During Free Agency To Jaguars: 'I Want To Go To Football Heaven'
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been in the process of rebuilding their offensive line for the past several years. The organization drafted Broderick Jones in 2023, who seems to be a long-term piece at tackle. The guards are solid with the two free agent additions of James Daniels and Isaac Seumalo. Going into the 2024 offseason, Pittsburgh needed a center and another tackle. They wound up getting both in the draft, but that came after losing out on Pro Bowl center Mitch Morse in free agency.
Morse was released after the 2023 season, and it was fairly obvious he would be a target for the Steelers after they released Mason Cole. He is a veteran with plenty of experience, and has played at a high level throughout his career. Once free agency began, it was clear Pittsburgh was in contact with Morse. They wound up losing out on him as he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he explained why during a recent appearance on the Love You Bro Podcast.
"It was between Pittsburgh and Jacksonville, and I was really hoping I wasn't going to like Pittsburgh and I went there and I loved everything about it. I loved [Mike] Tomlin. I love the players. But then it came down to a few things, and Jacksonville just became the right choice for my family and I. Pittsburgh is a really cool spot, and you know, it's the Steelers. But, went down to Jacksonville, and Doug [Pederson] was my OC my first year, it was the right decision for me."
Doug Pederson is the current head coach of the Jaguars, and Morse spent his rookie season with him in 2015 with the Kansas City Chiefs. There was a pre-existing relationship there, which made the decision a bit easier for Morse. He also mentioned how coaches from his time with the Buffalo Bills also ended up in Jacksonville.
Coaching is a big factor in a lot of players' decisions when it comes to their next destination. They want to make sure they are comfortable with the scheme and coaching style before committing to playing there. Another important factor is the players, and for a center, that especially means the quarterback. Morse spoke more about Trevor Lawrence being a reason he decided not to come to Pittsburgh.
"When Jacksonville came calling, it was exciting for me and my family, and I think Trevor was a huge point of that. Like you said, I want to go to football heaven, and not to say that the Steelers weren't that option, they totally were. Something about Trevor, and of course Doug and the other guys that I know, it just made that decision easy for me."
It's unclear what Morse means when he refers to the term "Football Heaven," but it feels safe to assume winning a Super Bowl is somehow correlated. Jacksonville has a young franchise quarterback, which makes them an attractive destination for any free agents on the offensive side of the ball. At the time, the Steelers' quarterback situation was messy. Russell Wilson had just arrived, and Kenny Pickett was still on the roster.
Steelers Found Their Center Through The NFL Draft Instead
The centers in free agency were quickly picked up. Meanwhile, the Steelers had no one on their roster to play the position besides Nate Herbig, who has little experience. The Steelers were desperate at the position, and it became obvious they had to find a center in the 2024 NFL Draft. They waited until the second round, and Zach Frazier fell to them with the 51st overall pick.
Frazier is expected to start immediately, and was highly touted throughout the pre-draft process. If he ends up being the player the Steelers think he is, Morse choosing Jacksonville would end up being a blessing in disguise.
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