The Brown Streak

Cleveland has taken an early lead in the free-agency race, signing two offensive linemen already today: Falcons OT Kevin Shaffer and Saints C LeCharles Bentley. Bentley is the bigger signing, obviously: he is one of the best centers in the league. The acquisition comes after numerous reports linked Bentley to the Eagles; one even claimed that the the deal to bring Bentley to Philadelphia had been done for a week. Not so.

Like many biased observers, I had hoped to see LeCharles Bentley join the Steelers. No one expected Pittsburgh to be active in free agency, but Bentley seemed like a perfect fit. (For what team would an excellent center NOT be a perfect fit?) This outcome raises a few questions: what's happening with the centers currently on the Steelers' roster? Before the CBA agreement was reached, both Hartings and Okobi were in negotiations to re-do their contracts. Will it still happen? Will either be cut? And: will the Steelers target a center in the draft? It seems inevitable that they will.