A year ago, the Steelers signed Ladarius Green to a four-year, $20 million contract, thinking that meant they had found Heath Miller’s replacement at tight end. It hasn’t worked out that way.
Green missed 10 games in the regular season and all three games in the postseason, and now the Steelers aren’t sure he’ll ever be ready to go. Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that the Steelers’ coaches may not have any hopes for Green, and the Steelers are likely to draft a tight end.
There were reports shortly after Green arrived in Pittsburgh that the Steelers found out only after he signed that a lingering ankle issue and a history of concussions were worse than the team thought. The Steelers, however, said that wasn’t the case.
If the Steelers spend their first-round pick on a tight end tonight, that’s a strong sign that they’re not as confident in Green now as they were a year ago.