Training camp is an amazing time of year for Pittsburgh Steelers fans for a number of reasons. One of the best might be the opportunity to see the matchups between teammates. In the past, battles like Antonio Brown versus Joe Haden and T.J. Watt against Alejandro Villanueva have been fantastic spectacles to see. It’s an opportunity for younger players to test their mettle against the best of the best before the bullets really start to fly. This year, one battle that’s been interesting to keep an eye on is Watt against rookie tackle Troy Fautanu.
In a video on Twitter from Aaron Becker of Yardbarker, Watt was asked what he’s seen out of Fautanu so far.
“I think he’s done a great job,” Watt said. “He’s done a good job of changing up his sets, doing different things. It’s always fun when you get a new tackle to go against because it’s not necessarily the same techniques you’re used to seeing say in and day out. Great competition.”
So far, Fautanu has mostly rotated in and out of the starting reps. Much like Broderick Jones last year, it seems the Steelers aren’t going to rush him onto the field, even though he was drafted in the first round. Jones recently said that he believes sitting to start the season last year was the best thing for his development, so it’s clear the Steelers know what they’re doing in that regard.
There have been moments in camp so far where the rookie has held his own against Watt, the Steelers’ best player. It seems likely that the team will open the year with Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle and Jones at right tackle, but Fautanu could still win one of the starting spots. If he continues to put up impressive reps against Watt, it may be hard to ignore him.
If Fautanu does start, getting him against Watt as much as possible will be valuable experience. No one has terrorized offensive tackles over the past few years more than Watt. If Fautanu can at least not get demolished by him, then he should be prepared for anyone else he sees in the NFL. Patience is key though, and Mike Tomlin and company will likely make the best decision when it comes to winning games when they announce who the starters are.
