Steelers' Biggest Training Camp Battle Has Been Brought To Light

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan has invested heavily in his offensive line since becoming GM in 2022. Using lots of high draft picks in the trenches, Khan is still waiting for his return on investment, but there have been signs of it coming. Zach Frazier and Troy Fautanu look like premier players at their positions, respectively, with Mason McCormick not far behind. Frazier and Fautanu are potentially looking at big-money extensions, finally putting some more money into the offense. With these three stars, the rest of the offensive line has become a tad crowded, having lots of depth everywhere. 

The latest additions to the unit are Max Iheanachor in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and Gennings Dunker in the third. Iheanachor will battle with Dylan Cook for the starting right tackle spot, with Cook likely to be the winner to start the season. Iheanachor is a project-type player who has only played football for a handful of years, and perhaps sitting and watching before playing could make a big difference for his career. 

Dunker, on the other hand, has a much more cloudy road to being in the starting five upfront. Dunker is making a transition to guard after being the starting right tackle at Iowa. A rookie offensive lineman making a switch like that takes time, and that's what the Steelers will give him. Not only is he making the switch to the interior, but he has more competition than Iheanachor does, having to beat out both Spencer Anderson and Brock Hoffman. 

Steelers insider Mark Kaboly recently appeared on his show, Kaboly + Mack, where he mentioned the Steelers' right guard spot being the team's biggest battle going into training camp. Kaboly notes that the defense seems set, with no major battles among the starters, leaving right guard the only true question mark on offense. 

"I guess the biggest battle would have to be at right guard. If you're saying this is the battle of starters, it has to be between Hoffman and Anderson," Kaboly stated. "I think Cook got a leg up on Iheanachor. Obviously, we're not talking about starters at quarterback."

Anderson was a seventh-round pick in 2023 and has worked his way up, earning himself an opportunity to be the starter. Every time he is called upon, he has done what is asked of him. Hoffman was brought over from the Dallas Cowboys, likely because of his relationship with new head coach Mike McCarthy. Hoffman had a similar role in Dallas to Anderson's in Pittsburgh, serving as the top backup on the offensive line. 

The battle will be very interesting to watch, with McCarthy's familiarity with Hoffman from the Cowboys and Anderson's history with the Steelers. Even though Hoffman played for McCarthy in the past, McCarthy still helped revamp the entire offensive line in the Steel City, with Hoffman starting off on the bench. 

Steelers Training Camp Should Be Interesting

While Iheanachor is in a "battle" with Cook, and Dunker isn't necessarily in the mix to be the starter just yet, it's important to remember the pads haven't come on yet. Offensive linemen are almost impossible to evaluate without pads on, making the battle speculation a little foggy. Once the helmets clash, the Steelers and their fans will have a much better idea of where the two rookies will be. 

The battle for the starting offensive line may not be resolved until the final preseason game most likely, which is where the starters typically play. 

What do you think about Mark Kaboly's comments about the right guard spot entering training camp? Be sure to follow us for more Steelers news!

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