While the Broderick Jones experiment is currently at intermission, the Troy Fautanu era is just beginning for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fautanu is now the team’s starting right tackle, Jones not likely to resurface until he lands at left tackle. Whether that comes this year or next year, it’s too early to say. But former Steelers OL Trai Essex believes the right side is in good hands already, assessing Fautanu’s debut.
“I thought he did fantastic”, he said of Troy Fautanu on 93.7 The Fan yesterday. “It’s tough, because he was coming in with the game plan of rotating every now and again, every other series with Broderick. And then once Broderick got pulled and he got put in there, he justified that move. And he played the entire game. You didn’t hear his name called, at all, as far as giving up pressures. I thought he played well in the run game”.
Taken 20th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, Troy Fautanu came out of Washington as a very seasoned starter. He is, in fact, older than Jones, with roughly three times as many collegiate starts. While his NFL debut contained its imperfections, he did look like a lineman with a good deal of experience.
Fautanu is the second rookie lineman to make his debut in the Steelers’ starting lineup in as many weeks. Second-round pick Zach Frazier began the season as the Steelers’ starting center, coming after Nate Herbig’s season-ending injury. It is likely Frazier would have won the job anyway, but the injury provided unambiguous clarity.
On the other hand, injury did the exact opposite at tackle. Fautanu sustained a knee injury in the preseason opener, and that continues to affect the starting lineup. Due to the injury, the Steelers left Jones at right tackle, and he is now displaced. The presumed plan is for him to resurface at left tackle at some point, but with no set timeline. He is back to square one, needing to earn another starting job.
Because now Troy Fautanu has his old spot, even though the Steelers never drafted Jones to play right tackle. From the very beginning, he competed with Dan Moore Jr. to start at left tackle. He lost that initial competition as a rookie, and Moore continues to hold him off.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin did list Fautanu as the first-team right tackle this week. However, he also said that Jones will have a chance to rebound. We will have to wait to find out what that looks like. Does he plan for Jones to continue to rotate in with Fautanu, or perhaps with Moore? Will he play snaps as the sixth lineman to keep him engaged?
