Steelers' Surprising Offensive Line Move Imminent With Mason McCormick Now The Center Of Attention

The Pittsburgh Steelers have not been shy when it comes to building in the trenches. Dating back to the 2023 NFL Draft, the team has selected plenty of big men upfront on both sides of the ball. This has been an emphasis, but due to injuries and some other circumstances, the project cannot be considered complete just yet. It seems as if the team has the center spot figured out as well as at least one guard and tackle situation resolved. However, there is some current confusion about what the left side of the offensive line may look like with Isaac Seumalo's departure and Broderick Jones' neck injury.

Pittsburgh has remained committed to drafting and developing linemen, so the hope is that the complete reconstruction on the offensive side of things is close to rounding itself out. The next couple of months will be crucial when it comes to the new coaching staff making some decisions about which players are going to slot in where.

In a fan chat hosted by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldo, the beat writer fielded a ton of questions about the state of the organization and its roster. There is a lot of time left remaining before meaningful football is being played, but the late spring and early-summer months are critical for team development. One big concern remains the left side of the offensive line.

The team is looking to patch up a hole on the left side, specifically at guard. Gennings Dunker and Spencer Anderson could be in a pretty tight battle come August; however, there is another option on the table. Mason McCormick, who has been at right guard for his two professional seasons, could end up moving over sooner rather than later.

"You might see that this spring," Fittipaldo said in regard to McCormick moving over to the left side. "They seem committed to trying players in different spots. And yes, McCormick did play LG in college."

Fittipaldo didn't confirm that McCormick is a lock to permanently move over to the left, but he is polished enough to at least give it a whirl. If Dunker impresses more so than Anderson however, he is seemingly more trusted on the right side. Getting McCormick reps at left guard early this offseason could be invaluable because of that. It hasn't been talked about all that much, but it seems to be a legitimate possibility that the two-year starter might have to at least try to make a move on the other side of Zach Frazier.

The Steelers have always wanted to establish the rushing attack and that is hard to do without consistency. The new leadership in the locker room will have the rest of the offseason to figure out how it wants to set up the offensive line, but the goal should be to find the formation that will remain the same over the course of more than just one year.

If McCormick gets a few opportunities on the left side and flashes some serious potential, he could be the go-to guy there, instead of someone like Dunker or Anderson. The most important part for McCormick would be making the transition without losing a step in his development. He is turning into a quality starter at the professional level and the last thing that the Steelers need is regression because of a switch.

Steelers Have Plenty Of Options On The Offensive Line

While Pittsburgh may have some uncertainty with the group that protects the quarterback, there is both depth and talent. There are several different combinations that could come out of offseason activities, so fans will have a better idea of what the staff is thinking once meaningful training camp sessions begin in late July. For now, there will be a ton of speculation, including the idea of McCormick potentially moving to play left guard.

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