It was a relatively quiet move among the flurry of ones the Pittsburgh Steelers made in the offseason, but the addition of veteran offensive lineman Trent Scott could prove to be an underrated one overall.
A five-year NFL veteran with 53 career games under his belt, including 19 starts at three different positions, Scott brings a ton of versatility and experience to a relatively young offensive line overall. It helps that he’s quite familiar with new Steelers’ offensive line coach Pat Meyer, having spent time with him with the Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers.
In fact, Scott — who spoke with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Chris Adamski during minicamp — stated that he believes Meyer made the push for the Steelers to bring him in along the offensive line, giving Meyer someone to help lead a young group based on his coaching philosophies and techniques.
“I had that familiarity with him, and so I had an opportunity to come here so I came here,” Scott told Adamski in early June during minicamp, according to original reporting from Adamski. “I am pretty sure (Meyer encouraged the Steelers to reach out). I am excited. I am excited to get the ball rolling.”
A veteran who has played left tackle, guard, and right tackle during his career, Scott is aiming to win the swing tackle job behind second-year left tackle Dan Moore Jr. and veteran right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor. His ability to play multiple positions along the offensive line attracted the Steelers to him, along with his relationship with Meyer.
However, he’ll have a tall task in front of him after joining the Steelers late in the offseason on May 15, while also finishing himself competing with veterans Joe Haeg and Chaz Green, and undrafted free agents Jake Dixon and Jordan Tucker. That familiarity with Meyer and the style he likes to play technique-wise could give him a leg up.
Scott has the right attitude though, jumping right into the mix and being willing to do whatever is asked of him to make the 53-man roster or the practice squad in the Steel City.
“I can do it all,” Scott said to Adamski, according to original reporting from the Tribune-Review. “But it’s just a matter of what they need or what they ask me to do.”
Playing multiple positions doesn’t mean he can do it at an adequate level, though. There’s a reason he’s bounced around the league overall, following Meyer around. In 2021, while playing guard for the Panthers, Scott was the fourth-worst guard in football out of 88 who played more than 300 snaps at the position. He was the second-worst in pass blocking and eighth-worst in run blocking.
Not exactly encouraging.
Still, that understanding of Meyer’s coaching style and expectations could help him land a role with the Steelers, whatever that may be. As a veteran at 28 years old, Scott is aiming to help the young group improve each and every day leading up to the start of the season, becoming that elder statesman of sorts, even though he’s so new to the team.
“I’m just trying to help this group, every one of us, get better every single day,” Scott said to Adamski. “It’s still a pretty young group, so I am willing and able to do anything I can. We’re all just trying to keep the same tradition of what is definitely a winning program around here.”
