Pittsburgh Steelers OT Troy Fautanu suffered an MCL sprain in the team’s preseason opener against the Houston Texans, and after doing individual work during practice on Monday, he took live reps for the first time since the injury in practice today, Fautanu told Mike DeFabo of The Athletic.
It’s a good sign for Fautanu’s availability for Sunday, although the chances he starts at this point are slim. The Steelers are likely going to roll with Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle and Broderick Jones at right tackle, where Fautanu would’ve played, although Fautanu will likely have an opportunity to crack the starting lineup sooner rather than later.
It’s tough for a rookie to get significant reps early in the season in Pittsburgh, and in Fautanu’s case, especially so coming off an injury that cost him the chance to work more in the preseason and training camp. But he could still wind up active on Sunday and serve in a backup role at tackle.
While the Steelers waited until Week 9 to play Broderick Jones last season, Fautanu enters the NFL with more collegiate experience, and if one of Jones or Moore struggles, the Steelers could move Fautanu into the starting lineup. Right now, the offensive line is one of Pittsburgh’s biggest question marks with Isaac Seumalo injured, and Fautanu could potentially give the unit a boost if it struggles early.
Mike Tomlin didn’t rule him out for Sunday, and it’s a good sign he was able to get live reps today.
“I feel like we are progressing on time with what we had talked about when I initially hurt it. It felt good out there. It felt good to be on the grass & take some live reps. Keep on progressing & make sure this thing gets back to 100 percent,” Fautanu said via 93.7 The Fan on Twitter.
Hopefully, Fautanu will be able to have a positive impact on the Steelers this season, and he could be a solid long-term building block at offensive tackle. Getting him healthy and working in practice will only further aid his development. Hopefully, he can continue to get more work in throughout this week and the next few weeks.
