The Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled to rebuild their offensive line after the departure of some long-time staples on the unit. Countless draft picks have been spent to find adequate linemen, and not many have panned out. Some of the blame falls on the players themselves, but a good portion also goes on Head Coach Mike Tomlin and Offensive Line Coach Pat Meyer. Neither have been able to develop good talent on the line recently, which is a good reason for Pittsburgh's struggles.
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Steelers offensive line coach, Pat Meyer walks around on the field at St. Vincent College as the team prepares to practice during 2022 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Meyer has been with the Steelers since the 2022 season, and the line has really struggled in every year of his tenure. Pittsburgh has had plenty of failed experiments along the way, where they tried to play a player out of position and hope for the best. A recent departure from Pittsburgh is Chukwuma Okorafor, who joined the New England Patriots in free agency. Former All-Pro offensive lineman, Mitchell Schwartz, discussed how Okorafor will finally be able to develop in New England while on The Athletic Football Show.
"Pittsburgh's offensive line has been basically terrible in the last few years overall. So, you're getting a guy who's coming from a system that's harbored no real success, and no real development from any of the young guys to a coach who seems to know what he is doing."
Schwartz insinuates that Meyer isn't able to develop his younger offensive linemen, and that Okorafor will now be able to reach his full potential in New England with a new coaching staff. It's hard to disagree with Schwartz and his take on Meyer and how the Steelers deal with linemen as a whole. There are too many examples of the coaching staff failing to help offensive linemen reach their full potential.
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Former Steelers lineman Kevin Dotson (69) playing against Pittsburgh.
A prime example of the Steelers holding a player back on the offensive line is Kevin Dotson. He was an All-American as a right guard in college, so of course the Steelers moved him to the left side. He had good moments and games in Pittsburgh, but struggled at times. It was clear he wouldn't be a starter going into the 2023 season, and the organization traded him to the Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams would end up starting Dotson at right guard, his natural position, and would end up excelling there. His contract was up after 2023, but he earned a new deal worth $48 million over three years. Dotson was seen as one of the best right guards in the league during the 2023 season.
If Okorafor takes a step similar to the one Dotson did, then the Patriots got themselves a steal. He was good in Pittsburgh and earned a second contract, but he had too many issues with the coaching staff in 2023 and was released after the season.
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Steelers rookie Broderick Jones in his first NFL start at right tackle against the Tennessee Titans in 2023.
Steelers Could Be Making The Same Mistakes Again
For some reason, Tomlin and Meyer love to play musical chairs throughout the offensive line, despite it failing so many times in the past. The organization's 2023 first round pick, Broderick Jones, played left tackle in college. He played right tackle during his rookie year. He played well, but definitely showed he was a raw talent that needs some work. In 2024, the coaching staff hopes to move Jones back to left tackle, once the new left tackle Pittsburgh drafted in 2024 proves he is ready to play right tackle.
To sum things up, both Jones and rookie Troy Fautanu are position-hopping throughout training camp. This isn't a good way to get young players accustomed to the NFL. Consistency is key. Jones has said he doesn't care where he plays, but it might be best for his development to stay in one spot. If the offensive line isn't noticeably better in 2024, Meyer probably won't see the 2025 season in Pittsburgh.
What do you think about Meyer and the way the Steelers have dealt with offensive linemen? Let us know in the comments below!
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