While the Pittsburgh Steelers made a lot of changes this offseason, one area they didn’t alter was their offensive line. Their starting unit is slated to be all returning players. However, most of them are young and unexperienced. Bill Cowher believes the Steelers’ offensive line has a lot of pressure on it this season.
“I think the biggest thing for them this year is development of the offensive line,” Cowher said recently on CBS Sports’ YouTube channel. “Say what you want. They’re young. And they need to be able to keep Aaron [Rodgers] upright. Hopefully, Arthur Smith can get the running game going. It takes a lot of pressure off Aaron.”
Cowher makes a good point. The Steelers made significant additions at every other position on offense, including quarterback. It’s unclear how much Rodgers has left in the tank, but the Steelers will never know if they can’t protect him. While he played every game last year, at 41 years old, there’s no reason to take any chances with Rodgers’ health.
Luckily, it seems like most of the Steelers’ young starters are trending in the right direction. Zach Frazier had a great rookie season, and he should pick up where he left off this year. Mason McCormick also put in a solid first year in the league, and if he continues to develop, he and Isaac Seumalo should give the Steelers a reliable pair of guards.
The biggest question for the Steelers’ offensive line is tackle. Neither of their tackles is very proven, despite both of them being first-round picks. Troy Fautanu was impressing last year before being lost for the season due to injury. However, this offseason, he’s been receiving more positive reviews.
Meanwhile, Broderick Jones had a disappointing 2024 season. His two years in the NFL have been very up and down, which makes this season even more important for him. Despite his underwhelming performances, Jones has looked good throughout training camp and the preseason this year. Back at his natural position of left tackle, he could finally be turning the corner.
We’ll see if the Steelers’ young offensive linemen can put together solid seasons. The team has invested a lot into them, and now, it needs them to perform. Many of the Steelers’ offseason moves could be less impactful if their offensive line doesn’t click.
