Offensive line should be a strength for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season. After all, three of their last four first-round selections have been offensive tackles. That investment is beginning to show up in the form legitimate depth.
Depth is key for any successful offensive line, and the Steelers may have a good problem on their hands with too many capable offensive linemen. The debate about how many to keep is a typical training camp conversation, but for most of recent history, Pittsburgh has elected to keep nine offensive linemen on their 53-man roster. Things may change under a new coaching staff.
“There are 10 that I believe are worthy of a spot on a 53-man roster,” Bob Labriola said Tuesday on 102.5 WDVE. “I’ll just run down here real quick. Troy Fautanu, Broderick Jones, Dylan Cook and Max Iheanachor at tackle. Then interior guys, you have Mason McCormick, Zach Frazier, Spencer Anderson, Brock Hoffman, Gennings Dunker and Ryan McCollum, because you’ve got to have a backup center.
“So those are 10 worthy players. If you’re thinking you can cut them and they’re gonna clear waivers and you’re getting them on the practice squad, I think that’s delusional.”
Labriola is certainly correct that all 10 names listed are bona fide NFL players. The most questionable name on the list is McCollum, but even he has been a member of the Steelers’ roster for the last two seasons as the backup center. If he is waived, there is a chance another team would sign him to their active roster. Hoffman would figure to be the backup center if McCollum is cut, but he hasn’t played much center in training camp to this point.
Barring a surprise, the other nine feel like safe bets to make the 53, if healthy.
Mike McCarthy endorsed the possibility of keeping 10 offensive linemen earlier this week, so the idea can’t be ruled out. Keeping a 10th offensive lineman would likely have ramifications elsewhere on the roster. Keeping four quarterbacks or an extra safety becomes that much more difficult if an extra spot is allocated to the o-line. A veteran at another position like Malik Harrison or Travis Homer may even be squeezed out as a result.
The offensive line combinations in the preseason could be indicators about where Pittsburgh is leaning in its offensive line evaluations. For example, if Hoffman gets snaps at center, it may be a sign that McCollum might be more on the bubble than some may think.
The possibility of losing a player to waivers is another factor the Steelers have to consider when trimming the roster. They can’t assume that a player they view as their 10th-best offensive lineman will make it back to the practice squad, particularly if another team views him as capable of helping its active roster. At the same time, injuries can quickly change the equation, and teams can never have enough quality offensive linemen.
For now, having a difficult decision to make along the offensive line is a good problem for the Steelers to have.