The Steelers have reached the point where the right tackle situation can’t be brushed aside anymore. After two preseason games, the message is loud and clear: this offensive line is not ready for the regular season in its current form.
Dylan Cook was already under the microscope after the Green Bay Packers game, when the early concern was that he might simply need time to shake off the rust. There was still a little optimism heading into the matchup with the New York Jets, especially after head coach Mike McCarthy said the competition at right tackle remained open. A solid outing from Cook might have settled things.
Instead, Cook only made the problem look bigger at Acrisure Stadium.
He has struggled to match the players lined up across from him, and the issues are showing up in all the usual places - footwork, hand placement, and getting beaten off the ball far too often. The rep-by-rep losses have made the position look shaky rather than unsettled.
Broderick Jones hasn’t provided much relief either. Since coming back from the neck injury that ended his 2025 campaign, he has lost weight and doesn’t look as strong as he did a year ago.
In his limited work against the Jets, he was getting beaten in much the same way as Cook. If the Steelers were hoping Jones could steady the spot, that hope has faded quickly.
That puts even more pressure on Max Iheanachor to get back on the field. The Steelers’ first-round pick flashed promise in a limited stretch at training camp before a shoulder/neck injury sidelined him. He has taken part in individual drills a few times since then, but not on a consistent basis.
Offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio said he doesn’t have a firm timeline for when Iheanachor will be back in full practice, but he did leave room for optimism.
"Sure. He's been working hard, I know, with his rehab, and that's something that we'll evaluate each day and see where he's at, but certainly hopeful to get him back," he said when asked if Iheanachor could potentially return this week.
If Iheanachor is able to make it back before Week 1, the Steelers may not have much choice but to put him in the starting lineup. There would still be a ramp-up period after the injury, but once he’s ready, he looks like the best answer at right tackle.
For a team with a 42-year-old quarterback and an offseason spent patching every other hole, this is the one glaring issue left. The Steelers have a fix on the roster. Now they just need it healthy.
In Other News...
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For Pittsburgh, that kind of self-assessment matters as much as the box score right now. The receiving group had its share of drops, the overall performance never really found a rhythm, and Allar is still in the middle of his development, but the encouraging part is that he looked like a young quarterback learning from a difficult night instead of shrinking from it. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Rookie Returner Suddenly Has Everything Riding On One Game
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Now Wetjen has one last chance to make his case before final cuts, and the margin for error is shrinking fast. Insider Mark Kaboly has already described him as on the bubble for Pittsburghs 53-man roster, which leaves the rookie in a simple but unforgiving place: one more strong performance could help him stick, while another uneven outing would make the decision even tougher for the Steelers staff. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers May Be Running Out Of Patience With Broderick Jones
Broderick Jones was supposed to be part of the Steelers long-term answer on the offensive line when Pittsburgh took him in the first round in 2023, but his path since then has been anything but smooth. Injuries, including a neck issue, and repeated position changes have complicated his development, and even with preseason reps, he has not locked down the kind of steady role the team hoped he would grow into.
The bigger question now is less about his draft status than his fit in Pittsburghs plans. Jones has 38 NFL starts on his rsum, but the Steelers still have reason to wonder whether he can be counted on as a reliable tackle, which is why they are weighing every possible outcome, from keeping him as depth to moving on entirely or seeing whether the trade market offers a better answer. [Read more 🡒]