The Pittsburgh Steelers begin their regular season in roughly two weeks, kicking things off against the Atlanta Falcons at Acrisure Stadium on September 13th. The majority of the starting lineup is already solidified, but Pittsburgh still has one looming question mark: the offensive line. More specifically, who is going to start at right tackle, and can that guy perform?
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Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Dylan Cook (60) during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
The team has not had a fully-fortified offensive line for many seasons now, and it seems that 2026 will be more of the same. While there are some standout names that seem to be settling in nicely, like center Zach Frazier and guard Mason McCormick, the rest of the big guys up front still have a lot that they need to prove.
The Steelers have been rotating a plethora of different players at the tackle positions in hopes of finding the right combination to build the offensive line. Dylan Cook and Spencer Anderson, who have been rotation guys for the majority of their respective careers, look like they might be on the front lines for Pittsburgh come Week 1.
The problem is "might."
The season is approaching quickly, and not having a real idea of who is going to be the presumed starter for one, possibly even two, of the positions in one of the most important groups on the field is a major issue. In a recent episode of the Deebo & Joe podcast, guest host and multiple-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Charlie Batch addressed how crucial it is to establish this position group before the season starts.
"All of those tackles have struggled at some point in the preseason. That is a problem," Batch noted. "We still do not know the starting right side of the offensive line, and that is a concern for me."
His assessment of the offensive line, specifically the tackles, was correct. They have all struggled immensely, and this has led to the spotty performances of young quarterbacks Will Howard and Drew Allar. They have looked subpar at time due to the amount of pressure that was being put on them by the opposing pass rush.
This is a terrible issue for the team to have this close to the season, as quarterback Aaron Rodgers is going to need all the time in the pocket he can get to make this offense run efficiently.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers (8) and Will Howard (18) during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
During the 2025 NFL season, it was apparent that the offensive line was one of the major reasons why the offense looked very lackluster at times, especially in big-time moments. Pittsburgh's run game, which was led by running backs Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell, averaged just 103.3 rushing yards per game.
This was well below the NFL league average, and while both backs made a lot of plays and had solid seasons, respectively, they had to do a lot of the work on their own and were constantly being hit at or behind the line of scrimmage.
The addition of running back Rico Dowdle is sure to give the team a boost in the run game department, but the Steelers will be severely capped in their ability on the ground and through the air if the offensive line cannot shore up its issues and put together a nice wall for the playmakers to do their jobs.
The Steelers Have Projects In The Works
The good news is that the Steelers have a very young group of offensive linemen that have time to develop. The team has used two out of its last three first-round draft picks on offensive tackles. In the 2024 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh selected Troy Fautanu out of the University of Washington 20th overall.
Fautanu missed the majority of his rookie season with a knee injury but bounced back in 2025 with a very solid campaign. He will look to build off this performance and become a cornerstone tackle for the Steelers.
In the 2026 NFL Draft, Max Iheanachor out of Arizona State was the newest big man up front to be draped in the Black and Gold, as the organization selected him 21st overall. Iheanachor is a very raw prospect, but has the potential to be a franchise player for the Steelers if he can put it all together. He might not start immediately, but Pittsburgh is confident in his talent, which could go a very long way.
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