The Steelers are barely into the offseason program, and already the offensive line looks like a spot where Isaac Seumalo’s absence is being felt.
Pittsburgh spent the spring reshaping a roster that already looks different from the one it had a year ago, and the line has been one of the biggest areas of change. Seumalo, a veteran guard who had been a steady piece for a long time, was allowed to leave for Arizona. He wasn’t an all-star, but he was dependable, and that kind of stability has a way of becoming obvious only after it’s gone.
What’s left behind is a group still being sorted out. The Steelers have invested draft capital up front, but guard remains the shaky part of the equation. The move that started the shuffle came after Pittsburgh drafted Max Iheanachor, which pushed Troy Fautanu back to the left side and brought Mason McCormick with him.
That left right guard open, and the early expectation was that third-round pick Gennings Dunker might be the answer. He played right tackle in school, so sliding inside seemed like a natural short-term fit.
Instead, the Steelers have mostly kept Dunker at left guard, a spot where he almost certainly won’t be starting next year. The early word on his Steelers debut has been lukewarm at best, and it already sounds like he’s out of the race to open this season in the lineup. That would be fine if the plan is to let him develop, but it also means Pittsburgh is leaning on less proven options right now.
If the season started today, the job at right guard would likely come down to Spencer Anderson or Brock Hoffman. Hoffman has been the kind of versatile backup teams lean on when injuries hit, with spot starts scattered along the way.
Anderson, meanwhile, is best known for his work as a tight end in big packages, and his guard tape has not exactly screamed certainty. Even so, he appears to be the frontrunner.
That’s where the Seumalo decision starts to look costly. In a year with an aging Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, the Steelers could have used a steadier hand inside. They still could have drafted Dunker and let him develop, but they would have had a more reliable starter in place while he learned.
For now, Pittsburgh is trying to make the pieces fit. Whether this collection of guards can hold up this season - and beyond - is still very much an open question.
In Other News...
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What makes Spears-Jennings interesting for the Steelers is the blend of traits that could help him carve out a role on defense and on special teams. Pittsburgh has a history of finding value in backs who can do a little of everything, and Spears-Jennings has the kind of physical profile that leaves room for development, even if the next step is still being sorted out. The question now is whether the Steelers can mold him into the kind of versatile safety who becomes more than a depth piece. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Camp Battle Could End Badly For Two Young Running Backs
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Homer brings the most established special teams value, which gives him a different kind of case than the younger backs trying to carve out a place. Johnson and Heidenreich have their own appeal, but both still have to prove they can handle the less glamorous parts of the job, and that is where camp battles like this can turn quickly for a young player trying to survive roster cuts. [Read more 🡒]