While the Steelers have some big, obvious needs that punch you in the jejunum, they can’t overlook some quieter ones. We have already talked about some of them, but one that hasn’t received enough attention probably should. Based on recent history and current expectations, they had better prioritize finding a decent swing tackle.
Over the past two years, the Steelers invested heavily in the position via the draft. In 2023, they traded up to 14 to draft Broderick Jones, then took Troy Fautanu at 20 last year. They plan to finally move Jones to the left side in 2025, with Fautanu returning from injury to play right tackle.
The thing is, Dan Moore Jr., in all likelihood, is going to be gone, and who is left behind Jones and Fautanu? The Steelers go into next season with a left tackle with one NFL start at the position and a right tackle with one NFL start—period. While they have plenty of pedigree, they have hardly any experience or exposure.
And as if that isn’t bad enough, the Steelers are not insulated against injury as they were previously. Last year, they had Moore, Jones and Fautanu, and Fautanu missed 16 games. What do the Steelers do if one of their starters misses nearly the whole season next time?
Obviously, they have plenty of time to figure all of that out. It’s barely March and free agency hasn’t even started yet. But the point is, this is a need that the Steelers can’t afford to put on the back burner. There have been too many years when they needed a good swing tackle to ignore it.
Last year, after Fautanu’s injury, the Steelers had to make do by signing journeyman Calvin Anderson to serve as their swing tackle. While he didn’t have to play much, things could have gone better. In one game, he checked in for one snap and allowed a sack in the red zone.
Anderson even went down last year and spent a stint on IR, at which point Max Scharping, primarily a guard, served as the swing tackle. The Steelers have Spencer Anderson and Dylan Cook, both of whom are capable of playing multiple positions. They didn’t feel the need to carry Cook on their 53-man roster in 2024, though, a reflection of how they view him.
Are any of these players a suitable option for the Steelers’ role of third tackle for the 2025 season? If the answer is no, then how do they go about addressing it? Barring a stunningly barren market for Moore, he is not coming back to Pittsburgh. One name we’ve talked about is familiar, and that is Kelvin Beachum. The last surviving member of the Steelers ‘ 2012 draft class, he is 35 but still going. And with two young tackles, he would be an excellent mentor.
