The Pittsburgh Steelers’ looming quarterback questions have sucked all the oxygen out of the room. It’s overshadowed everything else the team has done, including the blockbuster trade and contract for WR DK Metcalf, an aggressive move that never got its due. Whether Pittsburgh trots out Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, or whoever could be behind Door No. 3, the position group that must capture the focus of the Steelers’ 2025 season is the offensive line.
The odds are that the Steelers won’t find their franchise quarterback this year. That guy isn’t falling out of the sky. Whoever you start is a short-term stop-gap, with 2026 looking like the year to make an aggressive draft-day move. This means the focus and litmus test of what constitutes a successful season developmentally (putting aside wins and playoff results) is the front five.
Since taking over as general manager in May 2022, Omar Khan has had a clear vision and theory of the case: Build out the offensive line. There’s no doubt that’s been influenced by Assistant GM Andy Weidl, a former college offensive lineman mentored by Ozzie Newsome and Howie Roseman. Teams are built and defined by being strong up front.
Pittsburgh aggressively pursued upgrades. In Khan’s two drafts, he’s used five of 14 selections on the offensive line. Broderick Jones and Spencer Anderson to bookend the 2023 draft with Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier, and Mason McCormick made up three of the team’s first five 2024 selections. For the first time in franchise history, the Steelers used back-to-back first-round picks on offensive linemen.
However, drafting and developing are two different tasks. And this young group remains unproven, with Frazier looking like the only stud and “sure thing” after a stellar rookie campaign. Fautanu missed nearly all of his rookie season, while McCormick has areas to improve. Jones remains their biggest concern, entering a critical third season protecting the blindside of whoever plays quarterback.
This makes offensive line coach Pat Meyer a critical component. He must maximize the talent, get the light to come on for Jones, refine McCormick’s pass protection technique, and prove that the Steelers’ confidence in Fautanu is correct. Meyer’s tenure has come under plenty of scrutiny, some fair, some not.
The Steelers have pushed all their chips in on building their offensive line. Adding all the skill positions in the world is fine, but without trenches being sound, none of it matters. Pittsburgh can’t strike out. They took the correct approach to invest in the o-line after it was too often ignored in Kevin Colbert’s final years, makeshift fronts with sub-par coaching, with a similar approach as 2010-2012. A three-year span when Pittsburgh drafted C Maurkice Pouncey, OT Marcus Gilbert, and OG David DeCastro in the top two rounds. All three hit. Gilbert became a quality starter, DeCastro a future Hall of Honor inductee, Pouncey a borderline Hall of Famer.
Draft and develop. That’s the team’s philosophy. They’ve done the “draft” part. But the work is just beginning. Even if Aaron Rodgers turns back the clock, DK Metcalf shines, and George Pickens mellows out, it won’t feel like a success if the offensive line is a wash. If they miss, it’s back to the drawing board, and Pittsburgh will lack the teeth to truly be a competitive team. At best, they’ll be a poor man’s Bengals. At worst, they’ll just be a disaster.
