Pittsburgh Steelers release center Mason Cole

The Steelers have released starting center Mason Cole, a move that cleared $5 million as the NFL neared its free agency season.

Cole started 34 regular season games for the Steelers the past two seasons, but he’d been inconsistent last fall, prompting the move from Pittsburgh. However, he did represent the team well. He earned the ‘The Chief’ Award in 2022, his first year with the team. The award is named for Steelers founder Art Rooney Sr. It’s presented to someone within the team who best represents “the spirit of cooperation with the media” that Rooney showed.

After a post-Super Bowl lull, the NFL soon will be in a busy season. The league starts its 2024 calendar year on March 13. That’ll be when contracts set to expire at the end of 2023 actually run out. And those players officially become free agents. Earlier this week, teams could start designating one franchise tag player. League teams have until March 5 to make these decisions.

Meanwhile, the draft scouting process kicks up a gear this coming week, when hundreds of draft prospects gather in Indianapolis for the annual NFL Combine. The NFL Draft is April 25-27 in Detroit.

Steelers can look to free agency or draft for a new center

The Steelers can address their needs at center either by signing a free agent lineman or in the draft.

Cole had one year left on his three-year, $15.7 million contract. Steelers fans can keep an eye on these names as potential center signees via free agency. The best options are Connor Williams, Brian Allen and Cody Whitehair.

Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson is the best center in the draft. And he’s projected as a late first-day to second-day selection. Zach Frazier from West Virginia also is an option, as is Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran.

The Steelers already have waived several other players, including offensive lineman Chukwuma Okorafor, quarterback Mitch Trubisky, and punter Pressley Harvin.

And there’s all sorts of buzz that suggests the Steelers could be looking at free agent quarterbacks, including Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. However, anxious fans who want the team to move on from Kenny Pickett may be starting all the QB chatter.