Will Troy Fautanu develop into a Pro Bowler at left tackle?
The Steelers haven’t developed an offensive lineman into a Pro Bowler since Alejandro Villanueva; will Troy Fautanu be next? Now, Pittsburgh did have a recent Pro Bowler in Isaac Seumalo, but they earn no credit for developing him. Fautanu is a third-year former first-round pick, their second recent stab at a first-round tackle.
This offseason, it appears the Steelers are set to move Fautanu from right tackle to left tackle. Having played on the left side in college, he could ultimately play his best football there. They originally moved him to the right side because they intended Broderick Jones, the other aforementioned recent first-round tackle, as their left tackle of the future.
By this point, the Steelers have accepted that’s not going to happen. And they drafted Max Iheanachor in the first round, who is more experienced on the right side. There are a lot of reasons for Troy Fautanu playing on the left side, but what will it produce?
He certainly has the talent to be a top tackle in the NFL. Fautanu has excellent footwork and hand placement, and he’s sufficiently athletic to handle anything the Steelers might ask of him. Many already felt he was their best lineman last year. Usually, it takes a year or two after you deserve Pro Bowl recognition to start seeing it.
Not so long ago, the Steelers had three Pro Bowl linemen at the same time in Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, and Alejandro Villanueva. That’s a rare and impressive feat, and not one they’re likely to duplicate. But they have some talented young players, Troy Fautanu and C Zach Frazier first among them. Many believe Frazier will soon see his first Pro Bowl nod, as well.
As good as Fautanu has been so far, he still has room to grow. Missing almost his entire rookie season didn’t help his development. In addition to moving from right tackle to left tackle, he has a new position coach in a new offense. James Campen, like Mike Munchak, has a reputation for developing Pro Bowl linemen. Is Fautanu the next feather in his cap?
The Steelers have a long road ahead of them under Mike McCarthy, along with his cadre of quarterbacks.With seven consecutive postseason losses and no wins in nearly a decade, they are under fire for their repeated playoff failures. While we have seen many changes, none could dream of topping Mike Tomlin’s resignation.
We’re already deep into the offseason, with free agency and the draft already reshaping rosters. The Steelers, of course, are used to early offseason mode as a team thatloses by the middle of January all the time. Enjoy the ride, even the turbulence, because it’s the only way we know how to travel anymore.
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