After the Pittsburgh Steelers made the decision to release veteran right guard David DeCastro due to an ankle injury what would require surgery and cause him to miss the season, they were left with no offensive linemen with significant experience—barring, perhaps, tackle Chukwuma Okorafor, who had by then started 18 games at right tackle, all as an injury replacement.
They close out that same day with a new right guard, however, agreeing to terms on a one-year contract with Trai Turner, an eight-year veteran who has five Pro Bowls under his belt. While he was brought in to provide quality play at right guard, he was also expected to be a leader to a very young group of linemen, which includes two rookies and a second-year player in the starting lineup.