The Steelers may not have every answer along the offensive line this early in camp, but they do have something that matters: numbers. Omar Khan’s heavy investment up front over the past four years has left Pittsburgh with legitimate depth at tackle, guard and center.
That kind of cushion is exactly why a Rashawn Slater injury scare in Los Angeles could matter to the Steelers.
On Tuesday, Daniel Popper, a senior writer covering the Chargers for The Athletic, posted on X that starting left tackle and two-time Pro Bowler Rashawn Slater went to the medial tent with a trainer after his first 11-on-11 period. Slater was reportedly walking around fine after practice, but the moment still served as a sharp reminder of how fragile the Chargers’ line can be.
Los Angeles lived that nightmare last season. Slater missed the entire year after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in his left leg last August, and Chargers 2024 first-round pick Joe Alt managed only six games because of separate high-ankle sprains. Without its top two tackles, the Chargers’ offensive front collapsed.
That’s the opening Pittsburgh could try to exploit.
The Steelers are four deep at offensive tackle right now. Troy Fautanu is the locked-in starter at left tackle this season, barring injury, while first-round pick Max Iheanachor and Dylan Cook are battling for the right tackle job in camp. That leaves Broderick Jones as a reserve, but one with enough pedigree to attract attention.
Jones was the 14th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and has played both left and right tackle for Pittsburgh across his first three seasons. He has 38 starts in 45 career games.
Since his scary neck injury in November 2025, he has been fully cleared and has returned to practice with his teammates. His recent spinal fusion surgery may make some teams hesitate, but his age, athletic profile, first-round status and starting experience still give him value.
The Chargers’ current backup plan behind Slater is shaky. Trey Pipkins III filled in as a starter for all 17 games last season and the results were rough, with a 49.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus that ranked 79th among 84 qualifying NFL tackles.
Pipkins will be 30 by the start of the season, so there’s no obvious reason to expect a big jump. The only other projected roster option is rookie fourth-round pick Travis Burke, the Memphis tackle who has yet to take a preseason snap.
Pittsburgh would not be in position to demand much in return for Jones. He’s turned 25, hasn’t developed as hoped, and is coming off the neck injury. Still, he remains a usable swing tackle, and that matters in a league where line depth disappears fast.
A Day 3 draft pick is the most likely return. Even so, with Jones set to reach free agency after the 2026 season, the Steelers would be better off getting something now than letting him sit on the bench and leave for nothing later.
The Steelers may not be loaded with stars, but they do have depth in the right places. A scare like Slater’s gives them a chance to test the market and see whether a team in need of offensive line help is ready to pay.
In Other News...
Aaron Rodgers Just Dragged The Steelers Into Another NFL Firestorm
Aaron Rodgers was back on The Pat McAfee Show stirring the pot again, this time taking aim at the way the media has handled the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini scandal. The veteran quarterback criticized what he sees as insufficient coverage, putting the story back in the spotlight and adding another layer of intrigue around a situation that has already managed to pull in plenty of NFL attention.
For the Steelers, it is another reminder that Rodgers is never far from the conversation, even as the focus in Pittsburgh keeps turning toward football planning and what comes next. The teams 2026 preseason schedule is already on the books, and with that season set to be Rodgers final year in the league, every headline around him carries a little more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Forced To Address Aaron Rodgers After Latest Off Field Outburst
Aaron Rodgers latest appearance on The Pat McAfee Show stirred up more than the usual offseason chatter after he went after Dr. Anthony Fauci, pointing to Faucis Senate testimony and bringing up the Fifth Amendment. For the Steelers, it became another reminder that having a high-profile quarterback means every off-field comment can land back at the organizations doorstep, especially when the conversation turns political or personal.
Pittsburgh responded with a carefully worded statement, defending Rodgers right to express his own views while making clear the team does not necessarily share them. It is a familiar kind of balancing act for the Steelers, who have dealt with a similar situation before involving backup quarterback Mason Rudolph, and it puts the club back in the position of managing the message as much as the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Secondary Concern Is Already Testing Mike McCarthy
The first padded practices under new head coach Mike McCarthy have brought the kind of early buzz the Steelers hoped for, with the new setup drawing positive reviews around the team. Even so, one area still stands out as a work in progress, and it is hard to ignore when the defense starts to show its shape in camp.
Safety remains the lingering concern, especially because the current group is built more for work near the line of scrimmage than for handling deep-field responsibilities. McCarthy has already acknowledged the issue is being addressed, and while the staff is looking for answers, the room still feels like one of the more unsettled spots on the roster as the regular season approaches. [Read more 🡒]