Player: OT Troy Fautanu
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: It doesn’t take much to get Troy Fautanu’s teammates and coaches to rave about him, and you can see why. Despite spending almost all of his rookie season injured, he is looking no worse for wear in Year 2. In terms of both health and loss of experience, it almost appears as if nothing happened in 2024. That’s what his teammates and coaches are saying, at least—and Alex Kozora, our eyes in training camp.
It seemed every other week that some beat writer was saying the Steelers think Troy Fautanu is already their second-best lineman. This from a rookie who didn’t even practice much due to injuries, yet one finds the talent hard to deny.
Were it not for the stupid quantity of significant names the Steelers added this offseason, I would say Troy Fautanu is one of the most interesting players to watch this preseason. For some, like me, he will be, because he can be a decade-long foundational piece. Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey, and Jonnu Smith are all fun, but will they be here in 2030? Metcalf, perhaps.
The Steelers may have secured the bulk of their offensive line for a long-term future in the 2024 NFL Draft. With Fautanu, Zach Frazier, and Mason McCormick, they make up 60 percent of the group. They all look the part so far, but Fautanu has proven the least.
That is only due to injury, however. As evidenced by the Steelers’ rushing him out to start in Week 2 despite minimal practice experience, they were already comfortable with Troy Fautanu for some time. They may not be about to flip him to left tackle for a moment’s notice, but they’re hungry to watch him play already.
With training camp underway and the Steelers exploring their new roster, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of that change the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract. Oh, and they also traded some guy named George Pickens, which people found significant.
As we speak, we are in the process of learning what this Steelers team is going to look like. The dust is settled on both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft, and now we’re in camp. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? They’ve certainly made a flurry of moves, though some question whether they make much difference. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
