As we’ve done in previous years, we’re taking a look at Pittsburgh Steelers who are on Reserve/Future contracts for the 2026 offseason, as well as what we can expect from them during training camp and (hopefully) into the regular season. Today, an outlook on OL Lorenzo Thompson.
Lorenzo Thompson/OT Rhode Island: 6060, 307 pounds
In college, Thompson started and starred at the FCS level. Now in the NFL, he’s hoping to stick as long as possible. A deep reserve, the league is always looking for capable offensive linemen. Tackles, especially. That’s his focus over these next few months.
We profiled Thompson ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft as part of our small school week. Ross McCorkle wrote the report, concluding:
“His fundamentals as a pass-protecting tackle are good, and he has great instincts for using his punch and latching onto defenders. He can cover a lot of ground in his pass sets and does a great job against speed rushers in general. He is a little less polished moving forward, often playing with narrow feet and leaning too far out in front of his center of gravity.”
An older prospect who spent six seasons at Rhode Island, he made 35 starts on the blindside. With borderline arm length, Thompson became a candidate to kick inside.
Undrafted, he signed with the Cleveland Browns ahead of the ’24 draft. Despite pre-draft belief, Thompson stayed at left tackle and logged 100 preseason snaps there. For 2025, the team kicked him inside, where he played 83 snaps at left guard. Waived last August, he remained a free agent and hit the tryout circuit all year. Pittsburgh worked him out in December and signed him to a Reserve/Futures deal in January. He’s yet to appear in a regular-season game.
He had the added benefit of being eligible for Pittsburgh’s rookie minicamp, giving him extra reps and time in front of the new coaching staff.
The spring and summer question will be – where does Thompson play? His natural spot at left tackle? Or continue at left guard? Perhaps that’ll depend on Broderick Jones’ health. If he’s not cleared to work in team drills, Thompson could sub in.
Training camp usually features first, second, and third teams. Pittsburgh has enough tackles to fill those spots. But this year could be difficult to project, given Jones’ recovery and the possibility that Troy Fautanu and Dylan Cook bounce between left and right tackle. The depth chart might not be as “clean” as in other years.
Thompson playing tackle would be ideal. Or even tackle and guard to showcase his versatility, a trait Mike McCarthy and Omar Khan hold in high regard. No matter where he aligns, he must be mentally sound without error. No penalties, no missed assignments. Physically, he must play with good pad level and create a push in the run game while showing the athleticism that earned him NFL looks in the first place.
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