While the quarterback battle continues for the Pittsburgh Steelers, a glaring issue that has been well documented so far this preseason is the offensive line. It’s broken—and it may end up breaking Kenny Pickett or Mitch Trubisky.
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive linemen Kevin Dotson (69) and Kendrick Green (53) warm up during OTA's at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. | Steelers.com
On Thursday, Hall of Fame center, Jeff Saturday, was not shy about what he thinks of the Steelers’ offensive line woes.
“It could be ugly for Pittsburgh… you don’t want a bunch of exotic defenses and little protection that leads to a beat up body,” said Saturday on ESPN’s Get Up.
It’s no secret that the offensive line has taken a step back in recent years following the departure of center Maurkice Pouncey, right guard David DeCastro, and left guard Ramon Foster. In their last year together in 2019, Pro Football Focus ranked them as the ninth best in the NFL, and since then, PFF ranked the unit 17th in the NFL in 2020 and an atrocious 26th in 2021. PFF isn’t high on the line this year, either, ranking the unit 30th in the NFL.
Steelers Spent Big on Defense, But Leaves Holes in Other Parts of the Team
While the Steelers spent the most out of any team on the defensive side of the ball, that means they had to be mindful of spending on other position groups. The offensive line fell casualty to this. Among all NFL teams, the Steelers have spent the least money on the line than any other team ($23.7 million), per Spotrac.com. This seems to be a pattern. In 2021, they spent the fourth fewest dollars on the offensive line, and the struggles were obvious. According to PFF:
“The bar was so low a year ago that a huge leap for 2022 seems unrealistic. Not a single one of Pittsburgh's returning offensive line starters earned an overall grade over 65.0 in 2021.”
The lone bright spot was ranking sixth in pressures allowed (142), but that is a direct effect of Ben Roethlisberger only taking an average of 2.2 seconds to get the ball out of his hands.
It’s not just the production that’s been lackluster, it’s the draft, as well. The Steelers have not drafted an offensive lineman in the first or second rounds in 10 years. DeCastro was their first round selection in 2012.
CINCINNATI, OH - NOVEMBER 28: Pittsburgh Steelers center Kendrick Green (53) before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals on November 28, 2021, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Steelers Biggest Whiff: Kendrick Green
When the Steelers selected him in the third round in 2021, they quickly inserted him into the trenches with hopes that he could help anchor the line. His draft analysis cited his flexibility at either guard or center with “run blocking that will stand out to evaluators,” per NFL.com. Unfortunately, things haven’t come to fruition for Green, and he's far from the last Steelers to don #53. So far in his second year, he’s not only fighting for a spot on the depth chart, but he very well could be fighting for a spot on the roster in years to come based on his recent poor performance in preseason games.
omg this game by 53 Kendrick Green 💀 pic.twitter.com/eQd46J4Q4P
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 21, 2022
If Kendrick Green starts, the Steelers are going to need to keep all 3 QBs active all season long. Poor guys are going to get killed back there. https://t.co/N2kDI8IHLL
— Michelle Magdziuk (@BallBlastEm) August 21, 2022
Coach Tomlin’s Take on the Situation
Following the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, head coach Mike Tomlin spoke about the line’s performance:
“Wasn’t enough detail from a fine motor skills standpoint. There wasn’t enough of an edge individually and collectively and things that are on the tape we have to own. They know where I stand and what I expect and it’s going to be fun to watch them work and respond.”
You can bet your bottom dollar that Coach Tomlin will be keeping a very close eye on the progression of the line this year, and if they fall short of the “standard,” there will be some changes.
We've talked about the offensive line woes a lot over the last couple weeks at SteelerNation.com. But what are your thoughts? How do you think they can fix the problems up front? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
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