Steelers' Injured Offensive Lineman James Daniels Has Been Missing Since Season-Ending Injury

The Pittsburgh Steelers had extremely unfortunate injury luck throughout the 2024 season. So much so, that Head Coach Mike Tomlin mentioned during his end-of-season press conference that the decision-makers in the franchise want to assess how the team can remain healthier in 2025. One of the positional groups that got hit hard with injuries was the offensive line. Both Troy Fautanu and James Daniels were lost for the season very early on, which affected a young and inexperienced group. It must be better in 2025 and beyond, or the focus on running the football won't be valid.

Fautanu is expected to be back and ready to go in the comings months, but the veteran in Daniels will have a much more difficult time returning from an Achilles tear, which could lead to a delay in him signing with any franchise. The soon-to-be free agent has the pedigree and will be entering his eighth season in the NFL in 2025.

It's all but certain that the Steelers will continue developing Mason McCormick as the starting right guard position moving forward, so Daniels returning is unlikely. Another interesting aspect of Daniels' recovery also suggests he will be moving onto a different locker room. Team insider Mark Kaboly mentioned on X that the offensive lineman hasn't been seen in months.

"For what it is worth, I haven’t seen Daniels in the Steelers locker room since the injury, which is unusual for young players, but not veterans who are on an expiring contract," Kaboly said. "I know Daniels was told before the season they weren’t interested in re-signing him before the start of the year and with the emergence of McCormick, as well as coming off an Achilles injury, I don’t see it."

As Kaboly mentioned, Daniels is probably much more worried about getting healthy so he can sign a new deal come March. If he thought for any moment that the Steelers would be re-signing him, it's probable that reporters would have seen him in the locker room throughout the course of the season. That wasn't the case, which hints at the fact that Daniels will not be a Steeler in 2025.

Pittsburgh's offensive line was inconsistent throughout the 2024 season and while it will hurt to lose a veteran like Daniels, the team has to be focused on developing the young group that it has upfront. If the Steelers will continue to make questionable decisions in regards to the quarterback position, it will be pivotal for the rushing attack to explode moving forward.

The organization has a nice core developing, but questions remain, specifically on the left side of the ball. Daniels was a good addition when he came to town in 2022, but the injury he suffered came at an unfortunate time during a contract year. It allowed McCormick to show flashes of emerging as a top-tier guard, and Daniels will probably demand to much to come back as a backup.

The overall moral of the story is that Daniels was likely focused on getting healthy throughout 2024 after his Achilles injury, and chose to stay away from the locker room. That is a clear sign of him expecting to be elsewhere in 2025.

Steelers Need To Finally Develop Offensive Line Into Dominating Unit

It's been clear that Pittsburgh has wanted to get younger and more dynamic in the trenches over the last couple of years. The offensive line has not lived up to expectations and, regardless of who is playing quarterback, the big men up front need to take a huge step. A healthy Fautanu is a good start, but questions remain, and fans want answers.

Do you think that McCormick will turn into a stud for the Steelers? Let us know in the comments below!

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