The Pittsburgh Steelers surely had an inkling that changes along their offensive line were on the horizon even a year ago. Perhaps they didn’t realize just how radically it would change so quickly, with Alejandro Villanueva, Matt Feiler, Maurkice Pouncey, and David DeCastro all gone in one single offseason.
DeCastro was the last domino to fall, and that came after minicamp when he received an MRI on his ankle indicating that he would require surgery—not just to play again, which he hasn’t yet decided upon—but for his own long-term health.
The news put them in an unfortunate position, and they determined that their best course of action would be to waived him with a Non-Football Injury designation.