The Pittsburgh Steelers concluded rookie minicamp Saturday with notable changes on the offensive line. Head coach Mike McCarthy announced that new tackle Max Iheanachor will play right tackle.
As a result, former first-round pick Troy Fautanu will be moved from his previous position.
Steelers Rookie Lineman Reveals Position Change for Former First-Round Pick
When speaking to the media on Saturday, McCarthy made it clear the rookie lineman will play right tackle. While this announcement is typical for most teams, the Steelers already had Fautanu in that spot last year, starting all 17 games.
McCarthy reportedly told Fautanu he will not be in the same position this coming year, but no elaboration was provided on where exactly he would play when the season starts in a few months.
“I’ve done (playing both sides) the whole offseason, just preparing, never knowing where I’ll be. But coming here, they told me right side, and I played that my whole college career,” Iheanachor toldNick Farabaugh of PennLive after rookie minicamp on Saturday.
New Position Options for Fautanu
Looking at the Steelers offensive line, there are currently two options for Fautanu, and both of them are on the left side of the offensive line.
The first option is left guard, a hole left byIsaac Seumalo when he signed with theArizona Cardinals in the offseason. He only started two games at the position in his college career and has yet to take a snap there in the NFL.
The other option for Fautanu is to move to left tackle, as Broderick Jones’ return is nowhere in sight, as he continues to rehab from a neck injury. He played most of his college career at left tackle, which is what led the Steelers to select him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Fautanu played 29 games at left tackle for Washington.
Returning to Left Tackle Makes Sense for Fautanu and the Steelers
The best thing the Steelers could do is move Fautanu back to left tackle. Yes, much of the remainder of the offseason will be spent undoing everything he learned over the last year, but the footwork and techniques at left tackle aren’t a foreign concept for him.
Trying to teach Fautanu how to play left guard this late in the offseason is setting him and the team up for failure, and that’s not a slight against Fautanu. However, expecting someone to learn a new position and new footwork less than four months before the season begins is a strong ask.
Flipping him back to left tackle will be the easiest transition since they believe Iheanachor will be the starter on Day 1.
Steelers Can’t Worry About How Broderick Jones Fits Into the Team Right Now
Some Steelers fans will be wondering what this means for Jones, as he has been the primary left tackle since the organization traded up for him in the 2023 NFL Draft. As mentioned above, however, Jones continues to recover from a neck injury. At this point, it is unknown when he will return to football activities or if he will beready to go for training camp.
Getting Jones back at any point would be an added bonus for the Steelers, but they can’t let his possible return stop them from doing the right thing. McCarthy and the coaching staff need to work with the players they currently have available to him to build the best starting 11 on both sides of the ball to help the organization end its playoff win drought.
Fautanu’s position change will be something to watch with OTAs and mandatory minicamp coming up within the next six weeks.