Kevin Colbert used the word “retirement” Tuesday to describe David DeCastro’s departure from the Pittsburgh Steelers last month.

The Steelers released the six-time Pro Bowl right guard June 24 with a non-football injury designation, and then signed five-time Pro Bowler Trai Turner to replace him a day later.

Was Colbert providing news on DeCastro’s future or was it a mere slip of the tongue?

Turns out it was the latter. DeCastro, who had ankle surgery, hasn’t decided whether he will return for a 10th NFL season.

“I won’t make a decision until I give my ankle a chance to heal and see how it goes,” DeCastro told the Tribune-Review in a text message Tuesday.

DeCastro’s status remains unsettled, much like the offensive line was heading into the offseason. The Steelers changed positional coaches, promoting Adrian Klemm to offensive line coach. Maurkice Pouncey’s retirement in February began the overhaul of a line that figured to change pieces after the Steelers finished last in the NFL in rushing in 2021 and gave quarterback Ben Roethlisberger little time to release the ball.

In an interview with beat reporters Tuesday, Colbert described the offensive line as being in a “transitional period” in the offseason. Matt Feiler departed via free agency in March, and Alejandro Villanueva officially joined the Baltimore Ravens in May.

When DeCastro was released, it left the Steelers devoid of a fourth starter from 2020.

“We knew we would have trouble signing Al based on where we were in our cap situation,” Colbert said. “We had to make those type of decisions. David giving us his retirement when he did gave us another situation. Back in the spring, we felt good about the group we had.”

That was before the Steelers drafted center Kendrick Green in the third round and signed Turner a day after DeCastro was released. Chuks Okorafor will start at left tackle, second-year player Kevin Dotson will start at left guard, and Zach Banner will return to the right tackle spot he earned in last year’s camp before he tore his ACL in the season opener.

“When we scouted Chuks, we thought he would be a better left tackle coming out of college than right,” Colbert said. “Last year, he lost the competition to Banner at right tackle. Had they been competing at left tackle, my guess is Chuks would have beat him out, and that’s not taking anything away from Zach.”

Dotson started four games as rookie. J.C. Hassenauer is the only center candidate who started an NFL game last season, filling in for Pouncey three times. Turner’s run of five Pro Bowl appearances ended in his lone season with the Chargers when he missed seven games with a groin injury.

“Dotson is a young guy who has to prove he can play 16 games efficiently as a starter,” Colbert said. “Center position is wide open. … That will be an interesting battle. Trai Turner is a former Pro Bowl right guard who is only 28. Can he perform at that level for us? Time will tell. We’re excited to see Zach back at the right tackle spot because he earned it last year.

“We knew it was going to be a mix and match, but we were comfortable with the group we had albeit having to add Trai after we moved on from David.”

Colbert said he is content with the team’s depth as training camp shifts to Heinz Field for the next few weeks. The Steelers added outside linebacker Melvin Ingram last week on a one-year contract to patch one hole, and they are about $12 million under the salary cap, according to NFLPA figures.

“I wouldn’t say we lack depth, I think we lack proven abilities,” he said. “Do we have people who can play every position on this team? I feel yes, but they have to come out and prove it.”

He cited second-year outside linebacker Alex Highsmith and cornerback Cam Sutton, who will start outside extensively for the first time in his career, as examples.

“You look at those things and you made decisions based on we think they can,” Colbert said. “Until those players do it, we don’t know.”

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