The Pittsburgh Steelers have added a number of big names on both sides of the ball this offseason, creating some excitement for the 2025 season. The only way it works though, according to ESPN’s Damien Woody, is if the offensive line takes a step forward for the Black and Gold.
Appearing on Get Up Thursday morning, Woody put the success of the Steelers this season on the young offensive line under position coach Pat Meyer.
“The offensive line. As much as we talked about all the acquisitions that the Pittsburgh Steelers have made, to me, the number one thing is how well this offensive line is gonna play,” Woody said when asked what the biggest concern is heading into the year, according to video via ESPN. “The Pittsburgh Steelers have invested a tremendous amount of draft capital into that group, and in order for this whole experiment to work with Aaron Rodgers and everybody that’s coming on board, that group needs to come together.”
The Steelers have invested heavily in the offensive line in recent years, and will start two first-round tackles in Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu this season. Former second-round pick Zach Frazier has center locked down, next to a fourth-round pick in right guard Mason McCormick, and a big-ticket free agent signing from a few years ago in left guard Isaac Seumalo.
After struggling in the trenches for a few years late in the Ben Roethlisberger Era and early in the transition after his retirement, the Steelers really started to emphasis the trenches once again under GM Omar Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl.
Now, they appear to have the pieces in place to play the style of football they aim to play. It’s all about the group taking a significant step forward this season, and it starts with Jones at left tackle. He’s back in his natural position, the spot that the Steelers traded up in the 2023 NFL Draft to land him for.
He’s looked good so far in offseason workouts, so if he can hit the ground running in training camp and play up to his potential at left tackle, the Steelers will be in great shape up front.
“We know Arthur Smith loves to run the ball,” Damien Woody said. “We know the play-action pass is gonna be a big part of the Steelers’ offense. That offensive line needs to play much better than what they played last year.”
As interesting as the #Steelers' roster is with all the skill players added, the growth and development of the offensive line (or lack of) is still the #1 factor to determine the team's success.
This young o-line must play to its potential.
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) July 3, 2025
Frazier is a piece many are high on. He’s already one of the best centers in football and will only get better. McCormick brings real toughness and an edge to the offensive line, and Seumalo is the steady veteran presence.
All eyes will be on Fautanu, too, who is back after missing most of his rookie season with a knee injury. Media members are raving about him this summer. If he can be the best offensive lineman of the group like the Steelers believed he was as a rookie, the entire group could be very good this season.
Tough to put the weight of an entire season on one position group, but the Steelers — particularly on offense — will go as this offensive line does. Time to step up.
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