Troy Fautanu performed in only one sport as a rookie, however he understands he can’t play that approach this yr. Regardless of his lack of in-game NFL expertise, the Steelers want him to play like a veteran. He’s their solely possibility at proper sort out, their depth exterior in any other case perilously skinny. Whereas they re-signed Calvin Anderson, they don’t seem to be in a rush to see him on the sector.
“I can’t exit and do first-year issues”, Fautanu instructed Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Evaluate final week. “That’s the expectation I’ve for myself, too. I’ve been prepared for this for a very long time”.
Whereas he’s a proficient participant, Fautanu did have “rookie moments” final season. Even going again to coaching camp, he labored by his errors, and hopefully realized. However his on-field classes got here to a screeching halt because of a season-ending knee damage after his Week 2 debut.
Final week’s OTAs have been the primary alternative Troy Fautanu needed to return to the sector since his damage final season. “It made me hungrier, and I used to be fairly rattling able to play”, he stated, to return to the sector. “These nights, sitting in my room, questioning if I used to be going to return again, that’s what fueled me”.
The Steelers put a number of eggs of their offensive line basket, investing important sources to construct the room. Fautanu and Broderick Jones are their most valuable sources, each top-20 picks. And this yr, they lastly have each of them the place they need them to be—and presumably wholesome, or shut.
The Steelers chosen Troy Fautanu twentieth total within the first spherical of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Washington. They believed so strongly in his expertise that they rushed him into the beginning lineup after a preseason knee damage worn out a lot of his offseason growth alternatives. After all, he shortly after suffered a good worse knee damage, and is barely simply returning now.
For sure, the Steelers want him and Jones to remain wholesome, together with the remainder of the road. They misplaced a substantial amount of snaps and begins from the offensive line final yr because of well being. If contemplating Troy Fautanu a starter, they misplaced 16 video games from him, and one other 13 from James Daniels. Zach Frazier and Isaac Seumalo account for one more six video games missed.
The problem for this Steelers offensive line isn’t just to remain wholesome, however to develop and develop. That’s each individually and collectively, as a result of, barring Seumalo, they’re all younger and inexperienced. Whereas Jones has 27 begins, just one was at left sort out, and he simply turned 24. Troy Fautanu is, in fact, the least skilled, with all of 55 snaps performed up to now. However he’s hungry for a lot of, many extra within the season to return.
