With 2024 first-round pick Troy Fautanu coming back, the Steelers, roughly, have their offensive line for next season. But how long will that line stay together, especially with Isaac Seumalo on the wrong side of 30? What is the long-term plan—and where do all of the components best fit?
Long before the Steelers drafted Fautanu, many viewed him as potentially best fitting at guard in the NFL. While he believes the Steelers like him where they have him, on the right at tackle, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette still sees the possibility he could end up inside at some point.
“I think they really like Troy Fautanu at right tackle”, he said of the Steelers’ coaching staff. “I’m not gonna close the door on him going to guard, either, because I think he can be a really good guard. He’s just a really good player”.
When the Steelers drafted Troy Fautanu, they announced him as a tackle. During the pre-draft process, he said he believes he is a tackle. Of course, he wouldn’t be the first college player who doesn’t want to switch positions. Plenty of college tackles, even giant ones like Daniel Faalele, move to guard.
Still, there is ultimately no reason at this time to think the Steelers are considering that at all. They rushed him into the starting lineup at right tackle last year despite missing crucial time due to injury. And with Dan Moore Jr. set to leave in free agency, it’s not like they can afford Fautanu not to play tackle.
And what if Broderick Jones falters? He is not exactly a sure thing at this point in his career—of course, neither is Fautanu. But I do think the Steelers internally acknowledge his athletic capabilities. In fact, there was some chatter about guard last year.
Seumalo suffered an injury in the lead-up to the start of the 2024 season. Fittipaldo’s colleague, Gerry Dulac, said he believes the Steelers would have moved Troy Fautanu to guard if the injury had been more serious.
For years, Steelers fans suggested they move Willie Colon from tackle to guard. After repeated claims to the contrary, they eventually did move him inside, and he handled it well. I do not doubt if Fautanu were to play guard, he could do it just as well as tackle.
But this is all a conversation for down the line. Unless the Steelers re-sign Moore or draft a first-round tackle, there’s zero chance of Troy Fautanu playing guard this year. Maybe the future, a couple of years from now, reveals something different, but he is working at right tackle now. “I won’t rule that out, but he excelled at tackle”, Fittipaldo said.
