Steelers act quickly to add free agent guard Trai Turner to replace David DeCastro

A few hours after the Pittsburgh Steelers released Pro Bowl guard David DeCastro, ending his nine-year tenure with the team, they found his replacement for the 2021 season.

Free agent guard Trai Turner, a seven-year veteran who spent last season with the Los Angeles Chargers, agreed to terms on a one-year deal. ESPN first reported the transaction, citing confirmation from agent Drew Rosenhaus.

Turner visited the Steelers on Friday, one day after the conclusion of minicamp, an event which DeCastro attended for one day but in which he never participated.

Turner, 28, spent his first six NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers. He made the Pro Bowl five times in Carolina, one fewer selection than DeCastro had with the Steelers, before he was traded to Los Angeles for Russell Okung.

Turner was limited to nine games last season because of injuries — he missed seven of the first eight games — and was released in March with the Chargers opting to free up $11.3 million on the salary cap.

Turner told SiriusXM NFL Radio earlier this week that he is healthy.

“I’m back at 100 percent,” he said. “Last year was a rough season for me with injuries and just overall covid. But hey, you know, you go through things and situations arise, but you work it and you get through it. So, I’m feeling good. I’m just ready to come back and have a phenomenal season.”

Turner hasn’t played more than 13 games in a season since 2016. He has started 89 of the 93 games he has played in his NFL career. He was the Panthers’ third-round pick in 2014 out of LSU.

The Steelers saved $8.75 million in DeCastro’s base salary by releasing him and were an estimated $15 million under the salary cap prior to adding Turner.