Broderick Jones gets all the attention on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive line. But he’s hardly the only young trench player who must play well this season. Even for center Zach Frazier and guard Mason McCormick, there’s plenty to prove, and improve on, in their second NFL season. Joining Cam Heyward on his latest Not Just Football podcast, both spoke to how they spent the offseason getting better.
“I would say my off hand,” Frazier told the show. “Throwing my off hand. And being able to snap people off in twist games, third down, stuff like that. Protect my guards. Not let them get picked.”
Frazier’s already showing the change. Flashing the punch in camp, he also showed it in the Steelers’ preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
After a strong rookie season, Frazier will look to build on it and become one of the NFL’s best centers. An impressive campaign could lead to his first Pro Bowl and cement his status as the next long-term center on a team with a rich history of legendary names at the position.
McCormick held his own during a turbulent rookie season. Thrust into the starting lineup after James Daniels’ season-ending injury, McCormick made the position change from college left guard to NFL right guard. His play wasn’t as sterling as Frazier’s but McCormick’s performance was reasonably good. Still, there’s a big jump to make.
“Hand efficiency was my biggest thing this offseason,” McCormick said. “It’s really important because defensive linemen really get off the ball. So that’s been big for me.”
Given the aggressive pass sets coached by Pat Meyer, hand placement is all the more critical. A taller player, McCormick has to fight his pad level and the more he improves his punch, the more his true play strength will shine through.
Along with right tackle Troy Fautanu, the Steelers’ offensive line under the microscope. Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf draw national attention but the litmus test of the team’s 2025 success and beyond will boil down to the play of a young o-line with heavy investments. This group could be the next DeCastro-Pouncey-Gilbert, homegrown and built into one of the NFL’s best fronts. Or the unit could disappoint and send Pittsburgh back to the drawing board.
