Was Trai Turner’s first season with the Steelers also his last?

Trai Turner joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in June. Was he done with them by January?

Turner during the 2021 season dutifully filled his designated role as starting right guard and steadying veteran presence for a young offensive line. But he played under a one-year contract which, by its nature, suggests the 18 games he played this autumn and winter could end up as his lone voyage in the black-and-gold.

“I would love to be back,” Turner said via video conference with media the day after the Steelers’ season ended with a wild-card playoff loss in Kansas City. “I’d love to be a part of this organization. It’s been great since I’ve been here. Just enjoying playing for ‘Coach T’ (Mike Tomlin)... It’s a first-class organization all around.

“I can’t speak for anybody else’s opinion, but I would say on record that I would love to be back here.”

Like they did a year ago at this time, the Steelers again face an offseason of decisions and potential upheaval along their offensive line. The unit had four new starters in 2021, three of whom were entirely new to the organization: rookies Dan Moore Jr., Kendrick Green and Turner.

Turner signed in late June after the Steelers released longtime perennial Pro Bowl right guard David DeCastro in response to DeCastro’s knee injury. At 28, Turner became by far the Steelers’ most experienced starting offensive linemen — his 63 career starts entering the season were almost three times as many as the other four starters had combined (23).

Tomlin frequently referenced how much he valued Turner’s experience that manifested itself in a sage and wily demeanor on the field, while interacting with media and — as teammates told it — in the locker room.

“I like Trai Turner and the veteran experience and expertise that he brings,” Tomlin said early in the season.

“He’s very cerebral.”

As an 8-year vet who entered the season with more than 4 times as many career NFL offensive line starts (89) as the entire rest of the Steelers’ starting line combined (21), it's only natural that Trai Turner would be thrust into a role as a leader. https://t.co/Pec1oikUtH

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) November 12, 2021

Turner played every game of a season for the first time since 2016, when he was then a third-year guard for the Carolina Panthers. Turner earned the second of five consecutive Pro Bowl berths that season.

It would appear Turner’s Pro Bowl days are probably over — the Steelers were his third team over a three-season stretch, and Turner was released by the Los Angeles Chargers last spring.

But the eye test suggests he wasn’t by any means a weak link along the Steelers’ line this past season. That might be faint praise for a unit that largely struggled, but Pro Football Focus graded Turner in the middle of the pack (27th out of the 56 NFL guards who played the most snaps this season).

He also missed parts of four games because of injuries and was frequently on the injury report for a knee injury. That’s something that could raise alarm bells for teams considering signing a nine-year veteran.

“You know, wear and tear of the season,” Turner said. “When you push it through, sometimes you need a day or two to get back right. The continuously banging of the season, it catches up to you. But I was able to finish 18 (games) straight, 18 strong, so I think I’m all right.”

Right tackle Chuks Okorafor is also a free agent, and it’s fair to say Green at center and Dotson at left guard didn’t have seasons that will assure them starting jobs moving forward. Green lost his job to J.C. Hassenauer, and Dotson spent more time on injured reserve as he did in the lineup. John Leglue stated the final five games at left guard.

With all the moving parts and youth, the Steelers could use a presence like Turner, who warmed up to his role as the veteran leader.

“Twenty-eight and great, man, that’s what I like to say,” Turner said, referring to his age. “I embraced it. It was different. It was my first time having to be in a role like that. And it was cool, man.

“And it’s been cool to watch (the young linemen) develop and grow over the last few months.”

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