The Pittsburgh Steelers have made several additions to their team this offseason. However, they’ve still got several young players that they’re hoping will continue to take steps in the right direction this year. That includes most of their offensive line. While it’s a young group, there’s a lot riding on it being able to protect Aaron Rodgers this year. Some analysts are projecting the Steelers’ offensive line to take a leap, but Derrik Klassen isn’t ready to say that yet.
“The tackle duo is exciting, but it’s still a lot of unknows,” Klassen said recently on The Athletic Football Show podcast. “[Troy] Fautanu had a tumultuous rookie season. I think he was really up and down last year, even if you saw more good play, but now he’s moving from right tackle to left tackle. I know he’s natively a left tackle, but that’s still a tough transition for guys to make…
“And we have no idea how good Max Iheanachor is going to be. I liked him as a prospect, but I think even for people that liked him, we knew it was probably gonna be a year or two runway before he reached his potential. I think I’m at a place where I still think the long-term outlook for the offensive line is really good. I’m not sure if in 2026 it’s going to be a cohesively great unit.”
It’s fair to not crown the Steelers’ offensive line as one of the NFL’s best yet. That group still has a lot to prove, and it has several spots that are currently question marks. It’s unclear who will start at the tackle and guard spots opposite Fautanu and Mason McCormick.
The Steelers have options for those spots, though. Dylan Cook and Iheanachor should compete for the starting tackle job. While Iheanachor might need time to adjust to the NFL level, Cook played well to close out last season. It’s not a big sample size, but there’s a chance that he could be serviceable.
Also, Spencer Anderson, Brock Hoffman, and Gennings Dunker will likely compete for the other starting guard spot. Anderson has been a backup, but he’s started games when called upon in the past. Also, he played well in Pittsburgh’s jumbo package last year. He might be ready for a bigger role on offense.
The Steelers have a good foundation up front, though. Despite Klassen’s worries, Fautanu shouldn’t have too much of a problem moving to left tackle. He played there at a high level in college. While he might have to work through some kinks, he’s got the athletic profile to succeed there. McCormick moving to the left side with him should help as well.
Zach Frazier looks like the star of that group currently. He might never reach the heights of some of Pittsburgh’s past centers like Maurkice Pouncey or Dermontti Dawson, but he looks like he could be a reliable starter at center for years to come.
It’s okay if the Steelers don’t have a top-five offensive line this year, as long as that group doesn’t take significant steps back. It’s still a young core, and it projects to eventually be one of the league’s top units. Perhaps it will reach that level near the end of 2026, but fans shouldn’t panic if it instantly great to start the season.
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