The Pittsburgh Steelers have now used three premium draft picks on offensive linemen since Omar Khan and Andy Weidl took over as general manager and assistant general manager in 2023—music to the ears of RBs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.
That’s the takeaway from Daniel Jeremiah, who commented on the Steelers’ offensive line after they took C Zach Frazier in the second round. That selection followed the drafting of T Troy Fautanu 20th overall in the first round, continuing the rebuild the trenches. Quite possibly putting the finishing touches on that rebuild, as well.
“I’ve still got to remind myself that Russell Wilson’s playing quarterback along with Justin Fields for the Pittsburgh Steelers”, Jeremiah said Friday night on the NFL Network. “What they’ve done in this draft is try and protect whoever’s back there playing quarterback. And I do believe these guys that they’ve drafted [are] outstanding run blockers. These two backs they have are gonna love these two additions”.
These two backs are Harris and Warren, going into their fourth and third seasons, respectively. Harris is the only running back to rush for 1,000 yards in each of the past three seasons. Warren is averaging more than five yards per carry in his young career.
However, the running game started slow each of the past two seasons. Observers have primarily attributed these struggles to the offensive line needing time to come together. Although having two rookies in the starting lineup is not ideal, the Steelers upgraded their talent level. They also telegraphed their emphasis on run blocking, as that is a priority for Fautanu and especially Frazier.
The Steelers released C Mason Cole early this offseason, quickly exploring and then abandoning the free agent market. Even after passing on centers in the first round, finding their “next great Steelers center” was a priority. They still retain Dan Moore Jr., who has started the past three seasons at left tackle.
With holdovers Broderick Jones, Isaac Seumalo, and James Daniels, this offensive line is more built to run than any Steelers line in some time. The combination of pedigree and personality suits their ambitions to be a top rushing offense. It’s hard to disagree with Jeremiah’s assessment: Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren have to be some of the happiest people in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers finished the 2023 season 13th in rushing offense with 2,010 yards and 16 touchdowns. However, their significant second-half surge may better represent their starting point for 2024. They recorded the fifth-most rushing yards in the second half of the year, totaling 1,286 over their final nine games. They also scored the fourth-most touchdowns.
Given that the alternative to Frazier as a Day-1 starter is currently Nate Herbig, he figures to be a safe projection. Fautanu is also more of a ready-made pro than Jones was a year ago, so he stands a better chance of starting right away. The real question is who starts at left tackle and who at right. But having too many left tackles is a nice problem to have for a change.
