In a reflection of how much progress a young Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive line has to go, Pro Football Focus didn’t include either of the team’s starting tackles in a recent list of its Top 32. Author Zoltan Budley didn’t choose Broderick Jones or Troy Fautanu in his ranking and with valid reason.
Both players are first round picks but neither have proven themselves at the NFL level. Jones is coming off a difficult second season, one filled with mental mistakes, penalties, and poor pass protection. Fautanu missed nearly his entire rookie season after dislocating his kneecap in September, shelving him for the year.
For Pittsburgh’s offensive line investments to pay off, Jones and Fautanu will need to make leaps this year. If Jones falters, the Steelers could search for his replacement next offseason. And a down year from Fautanu, even if healthy, means the team will have gone two years without return on investment. Tackles can take time to grow and develop but Fautanu was an experienced senior out of college, not an underclassman lump of clay like Jones, and Pittsburgh has set a high bar for his abilities.
Working in their favor is the knowledge of exactly where they’ll play. Jones is entrenched as the starting left tackle after spending most of his NFL career on the right side and also occasionally bouncing between both tackle spots during his first two training camps. He’s slimmed down to 305 pounds, more agile to fit in OC Arthur Smith’s outside zone scheme and better conditioned to handle the rigors of an entire season. Last year was Jones’ first season starting wire-to-wire. Fautanu has mental reps and more time getting comfortable at right tackle, a spot he hadn’t played since high school.
Even with 64 starters, the goal should be for Jones and Fautanu to appear on next year’s list. The higher, the better, but even both cracking the Top 32 would serve as an encouraging sign.
The top offensive tackle on the list is the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jordan Mailata. Around the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens’ Ronnie Stanley placed 23rd. Like the Steelers, no Cincinnati Bengals’ or Cleveland Browns’ tackles made the Top 32, either.
