The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2024 NFL Draft with a need at right tackle. Several of the top tackles were already off the board by the Steelers’ first-round pick, but they stuck with No. 20 and selected Washington OT Troy Fautanu. This complicates things with the tackle room in Pittsburgh as the Steelers have stated their desire to move Broderick Jones back to the left side. Fautanu was a left tackle for basically his entire collegiate career at Washington.
In a conference call with the Pittsburgh media following the pick, Fautanu was asked if he is going to be on the left or right side.
“I just wanna be able to contribute, and whatever role that is given to me by the coaches,” Fautanu said via a transcribed post by Trib Live’s Chris Adamski on X.
Mike Tomlin spoke about this a little bit in his press conference, declining to answer which side he would play on, but adamantly stating that they do view him as a tackle.
Fautanu put together three solid years of tackle tape at Washington with 2,037 snaps at left tackle, 100 at left guard and just two at right tackle.
When Jones came out of college, he had just 19 starts to his name all at left tackle. He started one game at left tackle for the Steelers in Week 5 of 2023, but then went on to start the final 11, including the playoff game, on the right side. At this point, Jones is the more experienced right tackle. Is it worth flipping him back to the left side where he will have to relearn everything he picked up on last year? If they do, then Fautanu will be learning how to play on the right side, which he has basically never done.
I don’t think it will be a huge issue, as Jones’ play was solid for a rookie on the right side. It is a good problem to have with two talented first-round tackles in the last two drafts.
