Will Mason McCormick start for the Steelers on Sunday?
While Isaac Seumalo has returned to practice, it looks like he won’t be back for another week or two. Healing from a pectoral injury, the last thing the Steelers want is a setback. As a consequence, the outstanding question is who will start: Spencer Anderson or Mason McCormick.
The Steelers started Anderson for the first three games, but McCormick began rotating in last week. He arguably played better than Anderson when lining up at left guard, and multiple reporters seem to expect them to make the change.
Of course, even if Mason McCormick starts, they are likely to play both him and Anderson. At least, that is what Mike Tomlin suggested on Tuesday, that they plan to continue rotating. If they were going to rotate at tackle, they will rotate at guard.
The Steelers drafted McCormick believing he could develop into a starter. Arguably, he exceeded their expectations in terms of his polish, yet they still opted for Anderson. Now that he had three games under his belt, perhaps they feel comfortable enough to loosen the leash.
After all, it would be a good opportunity to get a preview of what McCormick might look like as a starter. Although he would presumably play right guard rather than left, as the Steelers are expected to let James Daniels walk. Seumalo will be back next year, as long as he is healthy.
Even while sidelined, McCormick said, Seumalo has been very helpful. He has even helped his fellow linemen make in-game adjustments, especially important, given the situation. He knows the Steelers are trying to use two people to replace him, and that is just more ways for things to go wrong.
If Mason McCormick starts, he will be the third rookie offensive lineman to do so for this unit. C Zach Frazier is preparing for his fourth start, while T Troy Fautanu started one game. He would be making his third start Sunday, but he suffered a knee injury and is on the Reserve/Injured List. It’s up to McCormick and Frazier to hold it down for the rookie class’ offensive line contingent.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is underway, following another disappointing year ending in a first-round playoff loss. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January. There are positive signs, but things could jump off the rails any moment.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Will Russell Wilson regain his job when he is healthy, or is Justin Fields stealing it? How will the team continue to address the depth chart, which is surprisingly still in flux?
The regular season is here, following weeks of camp and preseason games. The Steelers made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
