Steelers’ Revamped Offensive Line Poised For Breakout Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been making quiet, deliberate moves throughout the 2025 offseason, but an underrated part of the team has to be the importance regarding the development of the offensive line. It’s not the flashiest position group, but it might just be the key to unlocking everything else this team wants to accomplish moving forward.

At the center of that optimism is a simple idea: familiarity, plus a little firepower. That’s exactly what longtime Steelers reporter Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette touched on during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan on Friday, and it’s something that should have fans encouraged.

“If you take Troy Fautanu out of it, all those guys who are gonna be starting are coming back and played together for an entire year,” Fittipaldo said. “You put Fautanu back in there, who got reps with all those guys last summer, and it should be a pretty seamless transition. That offensive line should be much better than it was last year.”

Fittipaldo’s point drives home something that often gets lost in preseason buzz: continuity matters. The fact that 80% of the starting line returns after a full season together is no small detail. In 2024, Broderick Jones and Isaac Seumalo built chemistry over seventeen weeks, going through the growing pains and victories that only live action can provide.

By reintroducing Troy Fautanu, the team’s 2024 first-round pick, into the mix, the Steelers aren’t tossing in a rookie who has to start from scratch. Instead, they’re plugging in someone who already got valuable reps with the unit just a year ago. It’s a rare combination: a fresh talent who’s already familiar with the playbook, the personalities, and the physical demands of the NFL trenches.

This kind of offensive line setup can accelerate everything. With more cohesion up front, the Steelers can establish the run earlier in games, keep defenses honest, and give whoever is under center more time to make smart, composed decisions. It also means more opportunities for the offense to stay on schedule, something that was a struggle far too often in 2024.

There’s also the underrated angle of leadership. Seumalo, entering his third year with the team, has become a steady presence on the left side, while Jones has developed into a rising star on the right. Fautanu fits in well stylistically and temperamentally, and adding him to the interior or edge creates valuable flexibility for Arthur Smith, the Steelers’ offensive coordinator.

If everything goes to plan, this unit could quietly become one of the most stable in the AFC North. That’s significant when you’re facing elite pass rushers like Myles Garrett and Trey Hendrickson twice a year. Protecting the quarterback and creating clean pockets will go a long way toward changing the rhythm and identity of this offense.

The Steelers, long known for their defensive pedigree, appear to be taking a page from that book, but on the offensive side. That’s not to say there won’t be bumps in the road. Fautanu still needs to show he can translate practice familiarity into starting reps, and consistency in pass protection is something this line struggled with at times in 2024. 

Steelers’ Stability In The Trenches Should Pay Off

While Fittipaldo’s quote doesn’t promise dominance, it offers a realistic and hopeful outlook. In a division loaded with defensive firepower, having five players who trust each other and have already worked together could be the edge this team needs. One more thing to consider: chemistry on the offensive line isn't something you can force overnight. It’s built on reps, time, and trust. That’s why the Steelers’ approach is worth spotlighting.

Will the Steelers’ offensive line be the unsung hero of the 2025 season, or will growing pains come to derail the unit’s potential? Let us know in the comments!

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