Steelers Youthful Offensive Line Ready to Prove Many Wrong

[pczach]

Steelers Youthful Offensive Line Ready to Prove Many Wrong

Donnie Druin


There's a difference between inexperienced and unable, and the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line will put that argument to bed this season.

If your name is called consistently during a broadcast, it's usually not a good thing as a Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman.

Such is life as the big men in the NFL, doing the majority of the dirty work without receiving a sliver of the glitz and glamor that comes with playing professional football at its highest level.

There's a quote by Blaine Nye that perfectly sums up offensive (and defensive) linemen: "Offensive linemen are like salt. Nobody ever remembers the brand they buy."

To the casual fan, offensive linemen are hardly known. Yet to the advanced levels of the football world stretching to even the team's themselves, there's no underrating the impact of superior blocking upfront. The Steelers know this all too well, as the franchise has historically been linked to tough, hard-nosed running of the football spanning over the course of decades.

In recent memory, the Steelers have seen the opposite side of the spectrum, especially after ranking at the bottom of the league in rushing offense for the 2020 season.

Sure, in a passing league, running the ball isn't as important when compared to the game the older generations have watched. However, when the Steelers were in dire need to churn the clock out in a close game or simply needed balance to the offense to take pressure off quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the ability to effectively run the ball simply didn't exist.

Fingers were pointed at everybody involved. Many felt the offensive line play was less than par for the course, while others believe the running back depth chart was merely average, and the Steelers possessed an offensive coordinator that (more often times than not) moved the offense backward rather than forwards.

The truth is: All the above is true, and the Steelers knew that heading into the 2021 offseason. Offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner was sent packing, and so too were the likes of running back James Conner and three of Pittsburgh's starting five offensive linemen from the prior year.

Newly-promoted offensive play-caller Matt Canada brings promise of fresher/more modern concepts to Pittsburgh, while the Steelers brought in a mixed bag of veteran offensive linemen (tackle Joe Haeg and interior linemen B.J. Finney). The addition of running back Najee Harris and offensive linemen Kendrick Green/Dan Moore through the 2021 NFL Draft acted as a youth movement for the Steelers in their efforts to overhaul the offense for brighter days ahead.

Read the rest here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl...?ocid=msedgntp

[Born2Steel]

Pre-draft we listed the starting OL as Chuks-Dotson-Finney-DeCastro-Banner. Let's assume no injuries for the sake of this discussion. How do you guys see the OL playing out Post-draft?

I think I'm still going with the pre-draft lineup. The only change I could see is Finney being replaced by Green possibly. When do we see Moore at LT?

[Mojouw]

Pre-draft we listed the starting OL as Chuks-Dotson-Finney-DeCastro-Banner. Let's assume no injuries for the sake of this discussion. How do you guys see the OL playing out Post-draft?

I think I'm still going with the pre-draft lineup. The only change I could see is Finney being replaced by Green possibly. When do we see Moore at LT?

I think that Finney also starts the year at center. Then Green takes over at some point once the coaching staff is confident in his mental approach. They have to see what they have in Green ASAP in order to realistically assess the center position moving forward.

I think we see Moore at tackle at some point due to injury, but I think Chuks holds him off as the starter for the season. Makes it interesting for the off-season. Just a random prediction.

[Born2Steel]

I think that Finney also starts the year at center. Then Green takes over at some point once the coaching staff is confident in his mental approach. They have to see what they have in Green ASAP in order to realistically assess the center position moving forward.

I think we see Moore at tackle at some point due to injury, but I think Chuks holds him off as the starter for the season. Makes it interesting for the off-season. Just a random prediction.

But could you see Moore taking over at OT without an injury to one of the guys ahead of him? Meaning do you see Moore capable of winning the position outright? I think it may be a bit of a stretch this season but not impossible. I can definitely see Green taking over at OC with Finney not even playing a snap over the past 2 seasons. I think that's what I read in the OP article.

[Mojouw]

But could you see Moore taking over at OT without an injury to one of the guys ahead of him? Meaning do you see Moore capable of winning the position outright? I think it may be a bit of a stretch this season but not impossible. I can definitely see Green taking over at OC with Finney not even playing a snap over the past 2 seasons. I think that's what I read in the OP article.

I do not see Moore getting or winning the starting OT tackle job to either start the season or over the course of the season. I think that Banner is going to rock and roll at one spot and Chuks plays well enough to make his contract situation after the season interesting.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I do not see Moore getting or winning the starting OT tackle job to either start the season or over the course of the season. I think that Banner is going to rock and roll at one spot and Chuks plays well enough to make his contract situation after the season interesting.

I believe the pre draft lineup will be the gameday lineup as well. Although, Green could really push Finney as he is not a bona fide starter and even while Green has some things to learn, he did start over 30 games in the Big Ten and was all conference at Guard.

Moore Jr. I see needing to clean up a lot of technique in pass protection, but the question will be if he does enough to earn a hat on Sundays. Haeg is versatile at both G/T, but lets say the Steelers only dress 2 additional O linemen as usually do on gameday. Is it Haeg and Green, or Haeg and Moore Jr.? Need one guy as the Jumbo set OT and one guy tat can play G/C.

[Mojouw]

I believe the pre draft lineup will be the gameday lineup as well. Although, Green could really push Finney as he is not a bona fide starter and even while Green has some things to learn, he did start over 30 games in the Big Ten and was all conference at Guard.

Moore Jr. I see needing to clean up a lot of technique in pass protection, but the question will be if he does enough to earn a hat on Sundays. Haeg is versatile at both G/T, but lets say the Steelers only dress 2 additional O linemen as usually do on gameday. Is it Haeg and Green, or Haeg and Moore Jr.? Need one guy as the Jumbo set OT and one guy tat can play G/C.

All true. I also wonder how much the organization wants to give guys like Jarron Jones and Aviante Collins a shot to play a role on not only the 53 man roster but the gameday active list.

I think the Steelers are going to attempt to not put the rookies in the line-up to start the season. Even if Green did a ton of center in college...he is still going to have convince coaches and the QB that he is going to get the blocking calls right.

While I think that the team will go with the best 5 man unit...I think they will likely favor veteran experience in that calculation (aside from Dotson).

[pczach]

Pre-draft we listed the starting OL as Chuks-Dotson-Finney-DeCastro-Banner. Let's assume no injuries for the sake of this discussion. How do you guys see the OL playing out Post-draft?

I think I'm still going with the pre-draft lineup. The only change I could see is Finney being replaced by Green possibly. When do we see Moore at LT?

I see the pre-draft lineup starting the season as the starters. What happens after that....who knows. It would take something spectacular from Green to begin the season as a starter. I just don't know that they will even be able to get a good enough look at him before the season starts to trust him as the day 1 starter. Moore is a guy with some things to work on, and I think he will be trying to establish himself in the pecking order rather than earning a starting position.

What will be interesting will be how quickly Green pushes to start, and if Moore really shows something immediately, jumps ahead of the other tackles on the depth chart, and flashes eventual starter talent quickly in the process. That would be huge for this team if both players work out in a big way. The thought of getting a starting center is great, but if they really got 2 starter-level players in this draft without using premium draft picks it would be a home run.....particularly if Najee Harris and Freiermuth turn out to be the players we all hope they are.

[Dwinsgames]

Pre-draft we listed the starting OL as Chuks-Dotson-Finney-DeCastro-Banner. Let's assume no injuries for the sake of this discussion. How do you guys see the OL playing out Post-draft?

I think I'm still going with the pre-draft lineup. The only change I could see is Finney being replaced by Green possibly. When do we see Moore at LT?

In a perfect world Moore becomes a talented swing tackle and top backup on both sides ...

I believe Finney holds the C job for the first few weeks but can see Green over taking him around week 4

what really happens ... we will have to wait and see I guess

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

All true. I also wonder how much the organization wants to give guys like Jarron Jones and Aviante Collins a shot to play a role on not only the 53 man roster but the gameday active list.

I think the Steelers are going to attempt to not put the rookies in the line-up to start the season. Even if Green did a ton of center in college...he is still going to have convince coaches and the QB that he is going to get the blocking calls right.

While I think that the team will go with the best 5 man unit...I think they will likely favor veteran experience in that calculation (aside from Dotson).

You mention Collins and Jones, plus I think Leglue, Coward, Hassenauer, Coyle are all in play for the final roster spot or 2 maybe. Big talent pool now to pick 9 O linemen to make the 53. My bet is it goes like this.

OT's- Chuks, Banner, Moore Jr., Haeg
Int Linemen- DeCastro, Dotson, Finney, Green, Collins
-They sign Jones and Leglue to the practice squad

Haeg and Green get hats on gameday. Steeler fans complain about Moore Jr. not being active on gameday and scream bust. He eventually gets time as season goes on, but the veteran Haeg starts off as the #3 OT that can play G as well.

[Mojouw]

You mention Collins and Jones, plus I think Leglue, Coward, Hassenauer, Coyle are all in play for the final roster spot or 2 maybe. Big talent pool now to pick 9 O linemen to make the 53. My bet is it goes like this.

OT's- Chuks, Banner, Moore Jr., Haeg
Int Linemen- DeCastro, Dotson, Finney, Green, Collins
-They sign Jones and Leglue to the practice squad

Haeg and Green get hats on gameday. Steeler fans complain about Moore Jr. not being active on gameday and scream bust. He eventually gets time as season goes on, but the veteran Haeg starts off as the #3 OT that can play G as well.

That all sounds totally reasonable. Fits with several established patterns in how they have approached the offensive line past few seasons. Unless I am not remembering things properly, that makes Banner the least mobile starter. I am not sure how...but I would guess they are going to utilize the fact that almost all of the starting 5 can move pretty well to their advantage. Not clever enough about OL schemes to figure out how.

[teegre]

Haeg is awful.

I’d give the rookie a helmet over him... no joke.

[Born2Steel]

The thing I find most intriguing with this group is none of the guys from last season(except DeCastro) nor the draft picks(Obviously) have 20 starts in the NFL. They are ALL basically rookies from an experience standpoint. AND none of the guys from last season played exceptionally well at that. I think there will be a very open competition to win a spot. Not just as the starter but on the 53. The final 9 may have some names not yet on the roster. I see this as a true overhaul of the group as a whole. Maybe not, maybe we will see more of the same, but it just feels different to me this year.

[Dwinsgames]

Haeg is awful.

I’d give the rookie a helmet over him... no joke.

that was ( and still is ) a signing that Colbert makes just to " on paper" have a fairly complete roster pre draft and NOTHING more