The Pittsburgh Steelers have shown a lot of things throughout the first two preseason games of the 2026 season. There has been some good and some bad, and there have been some exciting moments with some of the younger players on the roster. However, not a lot of the high-impact skill-position players that will have a role during the regular season have taken the field during the preseason, so it is hard to get a good grasp of what the offense might look like in 2026. Still, the offensive line has taken the field, and things have not looked too good.
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Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Troy Fautanu (76) during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
The offensive line has struggled throughout the first two preseason games, which is extremely concerning considering how much has been invested in that unit over the last several seasons. Troy Fautanu struggled mightily during the first preseason game against the Green Bay Packers as he was called for two penalties, one of which wiped a touchdown off of the board. It has also been reported that he has had problems with penalties during practices as well.
Other players on the offensive line have looked rusty as well, and the two spots on the right side are still up for grabs. Former NFL General Manager Doug Whaley joined 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday morning and shared that this is his biggest concern on the roster.
"Now, my biggest concern, right now, is not the quarterbacks," Whaley said. "I would be playing the offensive line, probably the, at least until the third quarter. That to me is the biggest surprise of the whole preseason, not the quarterbacks. But the offensive line, from the first unit to the backups, to me they need to gel. They need a lot of work."
The offensive line has been a glaring issue, and it doesn't help that the coaching staff has shuffled everything around. The only thing staying the same from the 2025 season is Zach Frazier starting at center. Fautanu is switching to left tackle, which he has not played in the NFL. Mason McCormick is switching to left guard, where he has only made one NFL start, and the two spots on the right side are still undecided.
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Steelers' Max Iheanachor puts his helmet on during mandatory minicamp in 2026.
Currently, Dylan Cook is the starter at right tackle. He played left tackle for the Steelers at the end of the 2025 season. He is competing with rookie Max Iheanachor for the starting job, and Iheanachor just returned to practice on Monday after missing the first two preseason games. He is expected to make his debut on Thursday night. Brock Hoffman and Spencer Anderson are competing for the job at right guard, although neither has really pulled away in the position battle. A lot is still unknown on the offensive line, which is concerning for this time of the year.
Steelers Need The Offensive Line To Take A Significant Step Forward
The offensive line is one of the most important parts of any football team, but that is especially true for the Steelers during the 2026 season. The starting quarterback is 42 years old, and he does not move like he used to. Aaron Rodgers can be a statue in the pocket, which is why the offensive line needs to be near perfect. Mike McCarthy's passing game also relies heavily on play action, which means the offensive line needs to keep the run game efficient and explosive. Defenses need to fear it, which was not the case in 2025.
Hopefully these poor preseason performances can be attributed to players knocking the rust off, because if that kind of play continues into the regular season the Steelers are going to have a hard time winning games.
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