This was supposed to be the year. The year that the offensive line would finish its much-needed makeover and become that rock-solid unit Pittsburgh has needed since the likes of C Maurkice Pouncey, RG David DeCastro, and LT Alejandro Villanueva left town. The team has gone through some rough patches since then, having to start rookie Kendrick Green at center in 2021, endure the ups and downs of Kevin Dotson at guard, and experience the erratic play of Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle.
Pittsburgh hit the offensive line hard in 2022 free agency, signing C Mason Cole and RG James Daniels. They looked to be great additions as the 2022 season wore on, helping revitalize the running game while providing steady, dependable play in pass protection. Pittsburgh attacked the offensive line hard again this offseason, signing G Isaac Seumalo to claim the left guard job from Dotson as an established starter in the league while also signing swing man Nate Herbig and trading up to draft OT Broderick Jones to be this team’s franchise left tackle of the future.
Alas, things have note panned out as Pittsburgh hoped as on paper. The unit looked like it could contend for top-12 status in the league based on the additions as well as how the returning veterans played to close out the 2022 campaign. Seumalo got off to a slow start and Daniels hasn’t looked the same to start the year either, having also dealt with a groin injury that’s caused him to miss the last two games. Cole has taken a huge step back, looking like a complete liability at the pivot as he hasn’t fared well as a run blocker and is get exposed in pass protection.
Chukwuma Okorafor has been ok but hasn’t really shown out in a positive light as mainly “just a guy” filling the right tackle spot. Jones looked better in his first career start against the Ravens, but with Moore likely returning soon from injury, it’s up in the air whether he will hold onto his starting job.
The Steelers did what they were supposed to do when it comes to addressing their glaring needs along the offensive line. They threw big dollars in free agency as well as spent premium draft capital to infuse much-needed talent and experience on a unit that was overwhelmed for the last few seasons. However, the line hasn’t performed up to expectations. It ranks near the bottom of the league in more metrics, according to Pro Football Focus, while being on pace to surrender near the highest number of sacks in a single season.
Do the Steelers need to commit to overhauling the offensive line again? Possibly, but the overhaul this time can be a lot more focused and directed to a couple of positions than it was a few years ago when the whole unit needed to be addressed. The Steelers committed good money to both Daniels and Seumalo, who are arguably the team’s best linemen on the roster, meaning that they should be safe given their respective track records and ages. Jones should be given every opportunity to start seeing as he is a high-pedigree guy who has flashed both as a run blocker and pass protector and has a far higher ceiling than Moore as a long-term starter.
After those three, Pittsburgh should direct its focus to center and right tackle to finish this offensive line overhaul once and for all. Cole and Okorafor can be capable stopgap options at their respective positions, but neither is a suitable long-term solution at their positions and can be inconsistent. Both are under contract until the end of next season, but both have outs in their respective deals next offseason where Pittsburgh would incur minimal dead cap and a respectable amount of cap savings, especially in the case of Okorafor.
Pittsburgh could choose to part with one or both prior to the start of free agency and pursue other free agents including Cs Tyler Biadasz, Lloyd Cushenberry III, Connor McGovern, or Andre James as well as RTs Mekhi Becton, Isaiah Wynn, or Austin Jackson.
Should Pittsburgh choose to keep both Cole and Okorafor and look to supplement the offensive line depth via the draft, center prospects, including Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran, West Virginia’s Zach Frazier, or Arkansas’ Beaux Limmer as well as right tackle prospects including Alabama’s JC Latham, Georgia’s Amarius Mims, or Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton are potential fits. They could develop behind the incumbent starters, taking over in 2025 or usurping them on the depth chart during the 2024 season.
There are plenty of ways Pittsburgh could go about renovating this offensive line, and there is plenty of blame that falls on the scheme/coaching staff as well. However, given the results we’ve seen this far both in the running game as well as pass protection, something needs to be done to improve a unit that is vastly underperforming relative to expectations. Part of that must be the scheme matching what this unit does well but also completing the overhaul by infusing top-end talent to have this offensive line dominate on the ground while doing a better job of protecting QB Kenny Pickett to help him succeed and reach his potential.
