It’s rare in the NFL that complete overhauls turn things around overnight. Things can take time as players develop and units jell together. That is particularly the case for an offensive line, as five or six players are working in unison to achieve a positive result. If one piece breaks down, it can render the efforts of the others useless. The Pittsburgh Steelers might be about to finally reap the rewards of their offensive line overhaul, particularly in the run game.
It began a few seasons ago with the Steelers’ splash free agency signing of OG James Daniels. The following year, they traded up to draft OT Broderick Jones in the first round and took OL Spencer Anderson in the seventh round. The overhaul was put into overdrive last offseason, with the Steelers drafting three offensive linemen in their first five draft selections, including both of their first two picks.
There were flashes in 2024, but the results didn’t match the investment. The 2025 season might be a different story.
Brian Baldinger appeared on NFL Network’s The Insiders and spoke about the state of the Steelers’ offensive line and what the team is excited about moving forward.
“They are incredibly excited about the rookie center last year, Zach Frazier. They feel like they really found that guy,” Baldinger said. “They’re super excited about getting Troy Fautanu back and plugging him in to go with Isaac Seumalo, [Broderick] Jones. Even Mason McCormick played really well at guard last year. And then the guy that they’re really excited about in the run game is Darnell Washington and what he can be — almost the third tackle with his size.
“…Maybe Justin Fields is the guy, I mean, it would be the perfect fit if the Steelers really lean on the run game.”
The Steelers made it their mission last season to control the pace of games and possess the ball. Mike Tomlin said they wanted to “roll people” in one of his post-draft press conferences after they selected their third offensive linemen of the event.
There was a brief window where it looked like the plan was working. Fields started the first six games, and the Steelers’ rushing numbers were in a good spot. Even with Russell Wilson, it looked pretty good for a period of time before it was rendered nearly useless over the final month of the season.
Frazier has only played one season, but I think it’s safe to say he is the bonafide long-term solution at center. Outside of him, I’m not sure there is a high degree of confidence in any of the other young offensive linemen. The arrow is pointing up for McCormick, but it was far from perfect last season. He still needs to find another level in his play. Fautanu certainly looked promising, but he hasn’t even logged a complete game and already has a major injury to add to his history.
There is hope that moving Broderick Jones to the left side will help him get into a groove, but he has been up and down and has yet to string together an entire season of solid play. The beginning of last year was downright ugly for him, though he improved over the back half of the season.
Could the 2025 season finally be the time that everything comes together and the major investments start paying off? Baldinger seems to think the Steelers are pretty excited about multiple young pieces.
It’s no surprise they are also including Washington in that mix. He came along as a receiver last year, but he was an elite blocker at times from the tight end position. That will just be icing on the cake if the offensive line jells.
The running back room might look a little different, too. If the Steelers find someone who can turn a three—or four-yard gain into explosive plays with game-breaking speed, then the run game could look a whole lot different in 2025.
