OTAs have begun for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and that’s started to paint a picture of what the team could look like this season. The Steelers have added a lot of new players, and they lost some key contributors, too. Therefore, things figure to look different. The Steelers’ offensive line combination in particular was notable Monday, with Troy Fautanu and Mason McCormick flipping sides. While Fautanu could switch from right to left tackle, it doesn’t sound like he’s open to moving to moving inside.
“I don’t want to play guard,” Fautanu said via the team’s website. “But if I have to, I can.”
Fautanu has played right tackle in the NFL, and he took strides there last year after missing most of his rookie season due to a knee injury. Switching to the left side isn’t as easy as it sounds, with some players struggling with the transition. Broderick Jones is a good example. The Steelers moved him around a lot early in his career, and that likely contributed to his struggles.
However, Fautanu played mostly on the left side in college, so it shouldn’t be too tough for him to make that move if the Steelers deem that best.
Fautanu also lined up at guard in college, and there’s been some speculation that the Steelers could move him there. With Isaac Semualo gone, the team has a hole at guard. However, Fautanu makes it clear that he wants to be a last resort for that spot.
Considering how much money top tackles get paid, that’s not too surprising. Moving Fautanu to guard at this point doesn’t seem to make much sense, either. That would likely leave a hole for the Steelers at offensive tackle because of Broderick Jones’ uncertain status.
While he has participated in some activities this offseason, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette shared that Jones did not take part in team periods during the first day of Steelers OTAs.
Jones suffered a neck injury near the end of last season that landed him on injured reserve. It’s unclear what his status will be for the 2026 season, but not participating in team periods sends a clear message. He still has work to do in his recovery before he can play again.
That’s partly why the Steelers drafted Max Iheanachor in the first round this year. If Fautanu switches to left tackle, Iheanachor and Dylan Cook figure to battle it out for the right tackle spot.
There’s still time for Jones to get back on the field, though. Training camp will likely be a big test for him. However, his lack of availability would be one more reason to keep Fautanu at tackle, whether that’s on the left or right side. There’s no need to shuffle that many pieces when Fautanu looks fine at tackle and the Steelers having other interior options.
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