Steelers' Omar Khan Has A New Big Problem On The Horizon: "It's Going To Set Them Back"

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a bit of a weird stage of roster building. The organization is trying to win now to capitalize on some of the older talent on the roster, but the franchise also wants to build for the future. That is a big reason why Mike McCarthy was hired as the team's head coach. He has a great history when it comes to developing quarterbacks, which is something Pittsburgh desperately needs. However, for the time being, the Steelers have Aaron Rodgers under center, but he will be retiring after the 2026 season. At the age of 42, protecting him is a priority in 2026.

Rodgers cannot move or extend plays like he used to, so the offensive line play is going to be an x-factor for the Steelers during the 2026 season. Zach Frazier is the only true constant that the team has from 2025, and he has the potential to be an All-Pro center. Mason McCormick is switching from right guard to left guard, and Troy Fautanu is switching from right tackle to left tackle. Hopefully those transitions are smooth as the right side of the offensive line is currently up in the air.

The Steelers have made a strong commitment in investing in the offensive line over the years. General Manager Omar Khan's first draft in his role was in 2023, and since then three of his four first-round picks have come at the tackle position. The franchise is still trying to figure those spots out. Hopefully Fautanu works on the left, and hopefully the Steelers find an answer at right tackle. Beat writer Chris Carter appeared on 93.7 The Fan on Friday morning, and he shared that this is an area of concern for Pittsburgh.

"The other thing I'd be looking at is the offensive tackle rotation," Carter said. "They just drafted Max Iheanachor, Troy Fautanu is going to be switching to left tackle, everyone's wondering if Broderick Jones will be back, and Dylan Cook played well at the end of last season. So you have four guys of interest at offensive tackle, which is very rare. When do we have four guys we are interested in at offensive tackle? This is also the position Omar Khan has put a lot of stake into. So this is the position they need to get right soon. If they don't, it's going to set them back. It's not going to let them build the foundation they thought they were building, and that could be a problem."

As of right now, Fautanu is the starter at left tackle, while Broderick Jones is expected to begin the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. However, he could return at some point in camp. Dylan Cook is slated to be the starter at right tackle, but Max Iheanachor will be battling for that spot as well.

Steelers' Omar Khan Needs Tackle Situation To Solidify

Jones is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and the general thought is that his time in Pittsburgh is done. Fautanu and McCormick are switching sides of the offensive line because they each played on the left side in college, so hopefully Fautanu establishes himself to be the starting left tackle of the future for the franchise. 

The competition between Cook and Iheanachor on the right side is where things get interesting. Cook played well in relief of Jones and Andrus Peat at the end of the 2025 season, but he had some rough tape against the Houston Texans in the postseason. That's not to say he is a bad player, as every offensive tackle in the league probably has bad tape when playing Houston. Iheanachor is right behind him, and the rookie can prove himself to be capable of starting once the pads are put on in camp. He will be watched closely throughout the preseason games, and many fans are probably rooting for him to start.

What do you think about these comments from Carter? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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