The Pittsburgh Steelers tried and failed in their first attempt to replace Heath Miller in 2016, who retired following the previous season. The team went out and signed free agent Ladarius Green to a four-year, $20 million contract, but he would only see one season, limited to six games—albeit productive ones—thanks to an ankle injury and a concussion.
The Steelers bypassed the position in the draft, but when they looked at what they had available to them in training camp they decided to make a move, and they sent a fourth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers for Vance McDonald (and a fifth-round pick), a former second-rounder who was entering his fifth season, and the first under a new contract.