Final 12 months, the Pittsburgh Steelers made a powerful push to enhance their offensive line. They spent a number of draft picks on that unit, including Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier, and Mason McCormick. Whereas Fautanu misplaced most of his rookie season attributable to an damage, Frazier and McCormick have been each stable additions. Together with Broderick Jones and Isaac Seumalo, that group will probably be seeking to take a step ahead this 12 months. Former NFL offensive lineman A.Q. Shipley believes they’ll be a lot improved.
“You possibly can take a look at the Pittsburgh Steelers, I feel they’re an up-and-coming, ascending group,” Shipley stated not too long ago on The Pat McAfee Present. “I like their group, and I feel continuity is a big, large, large a part of offensive line play.
“Once you get the identical group of men coming again, younger guys besides, most likely spent the entire offseason collectively… I really feel actual good about this group. I just like the group that they’ve acquired.”
Shipley has praised a few of the Steelers’ younger offensive linemen prior to now, and with good cause. As a rookie, Frazier appeared like their greatest offensive lineman. He immediately helped them fill their void at middle, which had been plaguing them since Maurkice Pouncey retired.
There are nonetheless query marks about the remainder of that group, although. Jones is the obvious of these. In 2023, the Steelers traded within the first spherical to pick out Jones. Since then, he hasn’t developed into the participant they need him to be. Not all of that’s Jones’ fault, with the Steelers flip-flopping his place too typically, however he’s additionally acquired his personal points.
This 12 months, Jones is about to be the Steelers’ beginning left sort out. That implies that he’s in command of defending Aaron Rodgers’ blindside. Contemplating that Rodgers is 41 years outdated, that’s a particularly necessary job. Whereas he might nonetheless play at a excessive stage, there isn’t any means of understanding if Pittsburgh can’t shield him.
Additionally, there’s no telling what stage Fautanu can play at. He appeared stable in a small pattern measurement final 12 months, however his restricted NFL motion might set him on a crash course for a steep studying curve. Nonetheless, for what it’s value, Fautanu has carried out properly early in coaching camp.
Seumalo is the veteran of that group, and he’s been a gentle presence. Nonetheless, he’s set to show 32 this 12 months and has handled extra bumps and bruises not too long ago, so he might be in for a decline.
McCormick was a fourth-round decide final 12 months, and he exceeded expectations when contemplating his draft slot. As a rookie, he was a stable participant however had points in sure areas. Now, getting into his second season, the Steelers will be taking a look at him to take a step up.
Nonetheless, no group is ideal. Like Shipley says, the Steelers’ offensive line has a shiny future. If this group can jell collectively, they might turn out to be among the finest items within the league for years to return. Nonetheless, this 12 months will probably be an enormous check for a lot of of them, and we’ll see if they will reply the decision.
