Even though this summer at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe will feature a ton of competition along the offensive line for the Pittsburgh Steelers, it won’t be one filled with vitriol and overall hate.
In fact, it will be one likely filled with guys helping each other as much as possible, even when they are competing for jobs in the NFL. That’s the type of room the Steelers have built in the trenches over the last two seasons, which has second-year offensive line coach Pat Meyer rather pleased with what he’s seen throughout the spring in Organized Team Activities and minicamp.
Speaking with reporters earlier in the week during minicamp, Meyer stated that he’s been happy with what he’s seen from the offensive line group and is pleased with the way guys are staying and getting extra work in with each other, being true pros and pushing towards a common goal of winning at this level.
“Good rooms help each other regardless of the, ‘Hey, I’m competing with this guy’ or not,” Meyer told reporters, according to audio provide by the Steelers’ PR department. “Good rooms and good lines help each other because inevitably, whether he takes somebody’s job or doesn’t take somebody’s job, our job as an offensive unit is to get better and play the best five we can. You know, last year we were fortunate obviously to have all five starters stay in there for the most part, which is great. That rarely, rarely happens. So we know we’re gonna have, whoever’s number six is number seven, number eight, they’re gonna be playing a lot of ball for us in typical years.
“So just those guys that are staying and helping each other and doing that, the vets would do that. That shows you what kind of true pros they are.”
The Steelers are rather fortunate to have an offensive line room that, while young, is filled with high-character vets like Mason Cole, James Daniels, Chukwuma Okorafor, Isaac Seumalo and Dan Moore Jr., not to mention depth pieces like Le’Raven Clark, Nate Herbig, Ryan McCollum and Kevin Dotson.
With a couple of young pieces in rookies Broderick Jones and Spencer Anderson, and first-year pros Jarrid Williams and Dylan Cook in the fold as well, the veterans are doing all they can to get the young guys up to speed and ready to compete and contribute, even if it means hurting their own chances of seeing the field or holding down a roster spot.
That, as Meyer pointed out, is what good rooms do. The players not only compete against each other and push each other to be great every day, but they are always willing to help their teammates, even if it means hurting their own chances in the process. Moore has the most to lose out of anyone in the linemen room this season with Jones, a first-round pick, nipping at his heels.
With 33 career starts in the NFL, Moore could have had a bad attitude about the selection of Jones and refuse to help him, but so far through OTAs and minicamp that hasn’t been the case. He’s willing to help Jones get up to speed as quickly as possible, even if it means his own starting job. That’s the type of room the Steelers have built in the trenches.
It will only be beneficial to them moving forward.
