The Pittsburgh Steelers had a lot of of optimism surrounding their offense heading into the 2024 season, but that optimism has quickly dwindled based off of the unit's preseason performance thus far. Neither Justin Fields nor Russell Wilson have impressed during their preseason action, and the offensive line has looked like it could be worse than it was during the 2023 season. Broderick Jones has struggled at right tackle, as the team continues to hope that he will be able to take over the left tackle duties once Troy Fautanu returns to full health.
Steelers rookie Broderick Jones in his first NFL start at right tackle against the Tennessee Titans in 2023.
It has been a struggle to keep the quarterback clean throughout the first two preseason games for Pittsburgh. Wilson was sacked on each of his first three possessions during his debut against the Buffalo Bills, which stalled all three of those drives. One of Pittsburgh's standouts on the offensive line, right guard James Daniels, spoke to the media about what has gone wrong. He placed a lot of the blame on the technique.
"Oh, it's just like technique issues. Like just, I think people are just getting beat, like we're just doing like bad technique. So, we'll fix that."
If the technique is the issue, then Daniels' statements are a direct indictment on Offensive Line Coach Pat Meyer. It is Meyer's responsibility to make sure all of his linemen are properly prepared ahead of a game. The team is fresh off of training camp, where the position group had plenty of time to work on technique and iron out certain kinks. This wouldn't be the first time a player has pointed out flaws with Meyer, as the offensive line has shown little-to-no improvement since Meyer was hired in 2022.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers Offensive Line Coach Pat Meyer instructs during OTA drills at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, Wednesday, June 1, 2022.
The most concerning part of the Steelers' preseason loss to the Bills was that Jones showed significant regression from how he played during his rookie year in 2023. Players are expected to make a leap going into year two, and things don't look too promising for Jones at this point. He is apparently fairly banged up and is dealing with multiple minor injuries. He has been playing with an arm brace on his right arm - which could be hindering his performance.
Meyer is working at a disadvantage, with Jones dealing with a few injuries and the team's first-round selection recovering from a sprained MCL in Fautanu. Nonetheless, there have been numerous signs that he isn't the best man for the job. Pittsburgh has continuously played players out of position along the offensive line in recent years, which doesn't help at all with development.
A few players have moved on from Pittsburgh, played elsewhere, and immediately found success. This says a lot about how Meyer is coaching these players. If the offensive line doesn't show significant improvement as the season goes along, Meyer could and should be on his way out of Pittsburgh.
Steelers Have Promising Young Players Along The Offensive Line
Pittsburgh has recently invested a ton into their offensive line, especially during the 2024 NFL Draft. They selected Fautanu with their first-round pick, and then went and chose Zach Frazier with the 51st overall pick. They also used a fourth-round pick on Mason McCormick. Frazier and Fautanu are expected to start on the offensive line during the 2024 season, while McCormick could very well be in the future plans of the organization.
Steelers' Mason McCormick at the first day of 2024 rookie minicamp.
Daniels is in the final year of his deal, and will likely be too expensive to bring back after his contract expires. Many believe McCormick was brought in to be the backup plan to Daniels leaving in free agency. McCormick will have another year to develop, while Frazier and Fautanu have already impressed during camp. Frazier has also been rock solid during game action in the preseason. These are critical pieces of Pittsburgh's future, and having Meyer in charge of their development should be concerning to the fan base. He has a lot to prove in 2024.
