For April 26th, 2021, Chukwuma Okorafor is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting left tackle. But by April 27th, that all could change. Mike Tomlin said if the season started now, Okorafor would be the team’s blindside protector. However, he made it crystal clear depth charts mean next to nothing this time of year.
“Depth charts this time of year are funny,” Tomlin said during his Monday pre-draft press conference via the team YouTube channel. “They’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Chuks would be the guy who is probably penciled in at left tackle in late April.”
Okorafor played left tackle in college but spent all of last year at right tackle, replacing Zach Banner after Banner tore his ACL in the season-opening win over the New York Giants.
Tomlin’s comments also imply Banner would stay at right tackle. He signed a two-year deal worth nearly $10 million in the offseason.
The Steelers’ offensive line will look a lot different. Based on the guys currently on the roster, here’s how it could look:
LT: Chukwuma Okorafor
LG: Kevin Dotson
C: BJ Finney
RG: David DeCastro
RT: Zach Banner
Of course, the team is fully expected to draft at least one and probably two offensive linemen during this week’s draft. That could shake up depth charts, and is why Tomlin says not to pay any mind to how things look today. Pittsburgh is likely to add an offensive tackle, though it’s unclear if that will come sooner or later in the draft. Colbert did reiterate he feels this draft class is very deep at offensive tackle.
“But [this depth chart] means absolutely nothing,” Tomlin said. “And quote me on that.”
So we are.
