Pittsburgh Steelers

Kelvin Beachum: Moving from left tackle would be crazy

Published Feb. 4, 2016 12:15 a.m. ET

foxsports

Kelvin Beachum has a word of advice for any team that may pursue him in free agency this offseason -- don't ask him to change positions.

Beachum started 25 straight games at left tackle in Pittsburgh until suffering a torn ACL in Week 6. Beachum will likely be one of the best offensive lineman on the free agent market this offseason, but he had a funny response when asked by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review about a potential position switch.

"I am not going to say anything. I am just going to look at them like they are crazy. I have played left tackle my entire career, and I was thrust into all kinds of positions when I got here and I was a team player from that perspective, but I made my mark as a left tackle."

Beachum, a seventh-round pick in 2012, made just over $1.5 million last season. Despite his season-ending knee injury, he's due for a big raise. Alejandro Villanueva played surprisingly well in Beachum's absence and could be a cheaper option to protect Ben Roethlisberger's blind side. Beachum said he values happiness above all else, so perhaps he'd offer a hometown discount to stay in Pittsburgh.

"It would be [tough to say goodbye to Pittsburgh], but the NFL has a lot of turnover. I have never been through free agency before where I get to choose the team I get to go to. At the end of the day, all that matters is that you are happy. This year, I made $1.5 [million], and I was happy. I might get $10.5 [million] next year and be happy. It doesn't matter."

Regardless of where he ends up, Beachum is confident he'll be ready for the start of the 2016 season.