Steelers' Max Iheanachor Has A Major Luxury Going Into His Rookie Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers currently have an excellent problem: too many talented offensive linemen. The interior depth is excellent, and may be one of the best units in the entire NFL. The bookends are a bit trickier, with Broderick Jones' neck injury recovery still in question, and a competition between Dylan Cook and Max Iheanachor. The left side is seemingly set, with Troy Fautanu and Mason McCormick anchoring that side. The right side of the line is up for grabs. The right tackle battle is the most interesting, with Cook being an undrafted free agent and Iheanachor being a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft this past April. Either way the team goes, the player should be solid. 

When Cook was called upon in 2025, he played more than ok; he was thriving. He made a strong case to be the starter for the 2026 season, which made Iheanachor's selection a bit confusing. The former Arizona State product is a raw prospect who didn't start playing football until junior college, and pundits believe he perhaps should sit out his rookie season and learn from the sidelines. 

James Campen recently spoke to the media about the offensive line for the upcoming season. He mentioned that Iheanachor is still a smart player, despite his limited football experience. He also pointed out the luxury he has of being around good players and not having to be stripped down to the studs. There is a lot to build on in Iheanachor, even though he's being considered a raw talent. 

"He's very smart. He's coming in, and he has the luxury of having good players in front of him, so he doesn't have to start from square one, and I think that's always a bonus for a younger player," Campen said. 

Iheanachor wasn't necessarily drafted to play right away; he was a pick for the future. Cook proved he can be an NFL starter in his four-game audition. Though Cook and Iheanachor will be battling for the starting right tackle spot, Cook will have the inside edge. Unless Iheanachor bursts onto the scene in July, Cook will likely be the starter in Week 1 at right tackle. Iheanachor will probably take a similar path Jones took, only this time, with more caution. 

In 2023, Jones was the team's first-round pick, and he sat out the first few games. Jones was arguably even more raw of a prospect than Iheanachor, with nothing but freakish athleticism. The mistake the Steelers seemingly made was switching Jones from left to right to begin his career when he had never played on the right side. This was due to an injury to former Steelers right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor. Jones looked great in his rookie season, transforming the team's run game, but by his sophomore season, he was almost unplayable at times, which is why offensive tackle remained a need for Pittsburgh.

Steelers Can Take Their Time With Iheanachor

With the Steelers having Cook on the roster for this season, they aren't forced to start Iheanachor in Week 1. They can let Cook go out and play, potentially earning himself a nice payday in 2027. With Iheanachor waiting in the wings, unless Cook is playing at an All-Pro level, he likely won't be brought back by the team. Now, Cook starting doesn't necessarily mean Iheanachor shouldn't touch the field at all during his rookie season. The Steelers could use him the way they've used Spencer Anderson over the past two seasons. 

Anderson has been the sixth man on the offensive line for quite some time now, and in 2026 will compete for the starting right guard spot. He was also used as a tight end and fullback occasionally in 2025. A great way for Iheanachor to get acclimated to the NFL would be to use him more as a sixth offensive lineman in specific packages. If the Steelers really want to protect his development, this may be the best course of action. It will be interesting to see how Campen handles this situation. 

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