Former Cardinals, Vikings Center Mason Cole signs with Steelers: Report

Image Ronald Martinez / Getty

Mason Cole (#52) of the Minnesota Vikings against the Los Angeles Chargers’ defense at SoFi Stadium on November 14, 2021.

On Monday night, ESPN NFL senior insider Adam Schefter reported that former Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings center Mason Cole “intend to sign a three-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. “Financial details were not disclosed.

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Cole – who is 6 feet 5 and weighs 298 pounds – played last season with the Vikings, who bought him from the Cardinals last March in exchange for a place in the sixth round of 2021. He continues to appear in the series. 14 games for the Vikings — making seven starts — with four of those starting in the center and three in the right guard. But he ended the season as an injured substitute, after being elbowed in week 15 against the Chicago Bears.

Mason Cole is the 3rd round pick in 2018

Cole – who will turn 26 later this month – spent the first three seasons of his NFL career in Arizona, after the Cardinals selected him in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft (ranked No. 97 overall) outside of Michigan. He started all 16 regular games of the season as a rookie and then made 16 more starts over the course of the next two years before being transferred.

Last season’s Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave him an overall score of 69.7, with a 75.2 save but a meager 44.1 save. If the PFF’s score is any indication, pass blocking could be a real problem for Cole, as he’s already earned pass blocking scores of 41.9, 63.3, and 41.9, respectively. 46.1 in the previous three years.

On the plus side, Cole is a proven commodity in terms of his ability to play multiple positions, which is something to consider, especially as Steelman is uncertain in both defence and center. . Most notably, last year’s third-round picker, Kendrick Green, could be asked to switch from mainstay to one of the guard after struggling at center stage as a rookie. soldiers.

Behind the Steel Curtain’s Andrew Wilbar recently described Cole as “the best buyer in a bunch of free agent hubs, as he’ll provide potentially starting gameplay for a relatively cheap price. .”

Also of note: Cole began his college career at Michigan by making 25 consecutive left-back catches during the 2014-15 season; he then switched positions and started 13 games as a center in 2016. He then played another season on the left side in 2017 before returning to play at professional level. Karma.

Jersey Digital Watch

The Florida-born player wore the number 52 shirt at Michigan and wore that number for the last three seasons in the NFL. Number 52 is the shirt number of the late Steelers Hall of Fame center Mike Webster (Rank 1997), who played for the team from 1974-1988.

Cole is the second free agent the Steelers have agreed to sign from outside the organization, following defender Mitch Trubisky. The No. 2 player had previously agreed to a two-year contract, by Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network.

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