Prior to the 2021 season, Cole was traded to the Vikings for a 2021 sixth-round draft pick. He played 913 snaps while allowing two sacks and committing a career-high eight penalties.

In 2020, Cole regained the starting center position and started 14 games for the Cardinals. His football intellect is really solid and it’s helpful at that position in terms of the identification of protections and picking up the blitz game.”Īfter escaping the “journeyman” title, Cole and the Steelers are happy with the outcome of the three-year commitment they both agreed to last offseason. “Man, he’s a sharp guy,” said Tomlin of Cole. Mike Tomlin even praised Cole’s play and communication after the season. After starting every game of the season with consistent play, the Steelers feel like they found the solution to the problem they had after Pouncey’s departure. While the team signed a couple of offensive linemen this offseason including Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig, Cole’s role on the Steelers line should be unchanged. Obviously, we wanted to be in the playoffs, but it feels good now to carry that momentum through the offseason and into the next season.” If we would have lost the last couple of games, it wouldn’t have felt right. “It felt good to end the season the right way. “I feel good about the offensive line play and how we ended the season,” said Cole. Cole believes that the offensive line can carry that momentum into 2023 and said that while the team did not make the playoffs last season, the strides they made down the stretch are encouraging. The offensive line, like the offense itself, got better as the season went along in 2022. In our offensive line room, I would be one of the more experienced guys, along with Chuks (Chukwuma Okorafor) and James (Daniels). Just being an older guy in the room, even though I don’t feel that old. And then when you sign a new contract here, it comes with it a little more too. “So, I think I can be better in that aspect. “I think there’s always room for improvement in every part of the game whether it be physical, mental or even the leadership aspect,” Cole said. To show how good of a leader he wants to be, Cole stated that there is even more room for him to grow in that aspect, especially being a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to watching Heyward grow into an NFL contributor this year and potentially a starter down the line.In addition to being an ironman, Cole developed into a leader of the offensive line which was something he strived to become for the Steelers. Heyward joins his older brother Cam on the roster and he was hoping to team up with Justin Layne on the roster but he was cut earlier in the day. These past few years have been wild for Heyward as he went from starting running back to backup to transfer back to Michigan State under a new head coach and then an NFL draft prospect. I think the Steelers will use Heyward more at the tight end position than at fullback and he could be a matchup nightmare there with his sneaky athleticism. This still goes to show he has plenty of strength and he takes blocking seriously at the tight end spot. A video even surfaced from the preseason finale of him blocking Aidan Hutchinson to the ground even though he was being doubled. Heyward had a strong preseason, catching five passes for 30 yards and making plays all over the field. The Pittsburgh Steelers have two players listed at fullback on the 53-man roster: FB Derek Watt and TE/FB Connor Heyward.

2022 pittsburgh steelers roster