ESPN: Steelers Good Fit for Free Agent Tackle Eric Fisher

The Pittsburgh Steelers make sense as a landing spot for former Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs tackle Eric Fisher, according to Bill Barnwell of ESPN, who broke down the top destination for each of the top remaining free agents on Wednesday.

Fisher, 31, was the No. 1 overall selection in the 2013 NFL Draft by Kansas City and played seven seasons with the Chiefs, getting selected for two Pro Bowls and winning Super Bowl LIV. 

A torn Achilles tendon in the 2021 AFC Championship Game cost him a chance to play in a second straight Super Bowl that season, and he was released by Kansas City that March.

Fisher played last season under a one-year, $8.38 million contract with the Colts. He was given a 68.2 overall grade by Pro Football Focus last year, down significantly from the 80 he posted with the Chiefs in 2020. PF consider his run-blocking more of a strength than his pass blocking. 

Fisher has played almost exclusively left tackle in his NFL career, and the Steelers have incumbent Dan Moore Jr., a 2021 fourth-round draft pick, at the position, but Barnwell wrote that shouldn’t prevent the team from seeking a potential upgrade at the position.

“Moore ranked last in the NFL among tackles in pass block win rate and was about league average against the run,” Barnwell wrote. “The Steelers shouldn’t immediately abandon their hopes of developing Moore into a valuable tackle, but adding Fisher would give them a reliable left tackle to protect first-round pick Kenny Pickett.”

Moore could possibly move to the right side, but the Steelers already re-signed 2021 starter Chukwuma Okorafor to a three-year contract earlier this offseason.

The Steelers would be able to fit Fisher, even at his 2021 rate, under their current salary cap situation, and Barnwell suggested that the market may be soft for the veteran blocker.

“There really aren’t any openings remaining at the moment,” Barnwell wrote. “The Panthers and Seahawks addressed their holes in the draft. The Bears need a left tackle, but they don’t seem committed to spending much money or helping Justin Fields in 2022.”

The Steelers have already taken significant steps to upgrade their offensive line, adding center/guards Mason Cole and James Daniels early in free agency, and tackle Trent Scott after not picking a lineman in the 2022 NFL Draft.