While the offensive line isn’t exactly where they would like it to be, it is a day-and-night difference compared to what the Pittsburgh Steelers were facing at this time of the calendar a year ago. Much of that has to do with the internal growth of both young and veteran players in offensive line coach Pat Meyer’s system.
But it also has to do with what they’ve added to the mix, both in the starting lineup and for depth. Former Steelers ILB Ryan Shazier believes that the free-agent addition of Isaac Seumalo is showing its rewards already, for example.
“This o-line looks amazing right now”, he told Josh Taylor last night after the game on KDKA Nightly Sports Call. “The reason I say that is the addition of Issac Seumalo. Him coming into this o-line, him and James Daniels both pull up, get to the second level and allow Jaylen Warren’s [touchdown run]. That’s something Steelers fans were wishing for all last season, to have a solid o-line”.
The Steelers were forced into a rapid cycle of change beginning in earnest in 2021 with the retirement of C Maurkice Pouncey and the injury to G David DeCastro that prompted the team to release him. In conjunction with the cap crunch that followed the COVID-19 plagued 2020 season, the Steelers needed money to add somebody who could play in 2021, leading them to Trai Turner. They drafted Kendrick Green to play center right away—that did not work out.
And they have been rebuilding the line since, adding Daniels and C Mason Cole via free agency in 2022 and then Seumalo followed by first-round OT Broderick Jones in 2023. The only long-term holdover is Chukwuma Okorafor at right tackle, though thus far it looks like third-year Dan Moore Jr. is holding off Jones from taking over on the left side right away. Seumalo’s steady presence at left guard has been a noticeable difference-maker this offseason, however.
“When you add guys that are Pro Bowlers, guys that were on Super Bowl-caliber teams like he was last year, it’s a huge upgrade to your offense”, Shazier said. “Just the leadership, understanding where he was at last year, understanding how that team got to the Super Bowl, bringing that veteran presence to this team, he can help lead those guys in the direction that they need to go. You see already the improvements that the o-line is making just because of that one piece that we all were hoping for”.
I’m not quite sure I agree with Shazier in placing so much of the progression from last year solely on the addition of Seumalo, though he has certainly been a significant piece. Credit must also be given to a player like Daniels, who made huge strides going into his second season in Meyer’s system. And Moore has begun to come into his own with Jones breathing down his neck.
With all that being said, this line still needs to step up to another level when the games start to count. The starters in particular have done a good job overall in keeping QB Kenny Pickett clean, though outside of RB Jaylen Warren’s 62-yard touchdown, there hasn’t been a ton of room to run. Then again, the first-team line hasn’t run the ball very much yet. Perhaps that will come this week.
