NFL PLAYER NEWS

Steelers release DeCastro, reach deal with Trai Turner

Field Level Media

June 24, 2021 at 11:54 pm.

The Pittsburgh Steelers released David DeCastro on Thursday and agreed to terms on a contract with fellow Pro Bowl offensive guard Trai Turner.

ESPN reported agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed a one-year deal on behalf of Turner, who visited the Steelers last week.

DeCastro, who was released with a non-football injury designation, was in the final season of a six-year, $58.07 million contract. The decision to part ways with him saves Pittsburgh $8.75 million in cap space.

DeCastro, 31, was a two-time First Team All-Pro during his tenure with the Steelers, which dates back to 2012 when the team selected him in the first round of the draft (24th overall) out of Stanford.

“David was without a doubt one of the premier offensive linemen during his time with us,” Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said in a statement. “He helped us win a lot of football games, but it was David’s consistency, reliability and professionalism that stood out more than anything else. We wish him the best moving forward in his career.”

DeCastro has started 124 of 125 games in which he has played during his NFL career. He was a First Team All-Pro in 2015 and 2017 and voted to six straight Pro Bowls from 2015-20.

Turner was released by the Los Angeles Chargers in March to clear more than $11 million in cap space.

Turner, 28, started nine games at right guard in his only season with the Chargers in 2020. He missed one game with a knee injury and six with a groin injury.

Drafted in the third round by Carolina in 2014 out of LSU, Turner started 80 of his 84 games with the Panthers from 2014-19. He made the Pro Bowl in each of his last five seasons with the team.