Steelers starting guard James Daniels out for the season with torn Achilles, per report

Pittsburgh Steelers veteran offensive lineman James Daniels is out for the season after suffering a torn Achilles during Sunday’s loss at the Indianapolis Colts, per an ESPN report.

A starter at right guard since joining the Steelers via free agency in March 2022, Daniels left Sunday’s game after a play early during the first quarter. Daniels has missed only two games over the past three seasons. In 2022, he signed a three-year, $26.5 million contract.

Though initially termed “questionable” to return to Sunday’s game, Daniels afterward was spotted in a walking boot and on crutches.

Daniels was replaced in the lineup by Spencer Anderson, who for that game had lost a starting gig at left guard to rookie Mason McCormick. That left the Steelers with three players (counting rookie center Zach Frazier) who combined for exactly eight career NFL starts as the interior of their offensive line.

Daniels’ injury is the latest setback for a unit that lost who was then the first-team center (Nate Herbig) to a season-ending shoulder injury in mid-August, then two weeks later lost veteran starting left guard Isaac Seumalo to a pectoral injury that has prevented him from yet playing this season and less than two weeks ago learned that rookie starting right tackle Troy Fautanu would miss a major portion of the season because of a knee injury.

Also currently on injured reserve is last year’s “swing” backup tackle, Dylan Cook.

Cook is eligible to begin practicing this week, and Seumalo returned to practice last week. Seumalo could be in line to return to game action as soon as this Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.

Daniels’ contract expires this coming spring, and he was not expected to be re-signed by the Steelers. The hope and plan was that McCormick — a highly-regarded fourth-round pick — could take over for Daniels in 2025. The timetable for that plan, apparently, has been accelerated to begin immediately.