So far this offseason, the Steelers have prioritized two position groups at various prospect events: defensive tackle and running back. However, one area quietly lacking in depth is their offensive line.
With the news of the team moving on from both Dan Moore Jr. and James Daniels, the Steelers’ offensive line depth is a significant concern. Even if the team brings back Nate Herbig, who is currently an unrestricted free agent, they would still have minimal quality backups at tackle and guard. However, the Steelers do have a reliable backup option at center in Ryan McCullum. Last season, McCullum started two games in place of franchise center Zach Frazier, who was injured prior to the team’s bye week. In those games, McCullum did not surrender any sacks and played admirably in both wins over the New York Jets and New York Giants.
When viewing the rest of the team’s offensive line roster, there is little quality depth at their disposal. The only notable player is Spencer Anderson, who played 311 offensive snaps last season and can fill various spots. Veteran Calvin Anderson, who was injured for much of the 2024 season, played only 11 total snaps in four games. Lastly, Dylan Cook, who showed a lot of promise in 2023, was eventually waived last October and spent the rest of the season on the team’s practice squad.
The good news is that the offseason is still in its early stages, and the Steelers have plenty of cap space to work with. The team has already signed Cook to a future/reserve contract, but one should expect them to make several more moves in free agency and this year’s NFL Draft. Although the team has their starting offensive line for next year in place, having good depth on the offensive line will be paramount to avoid the type of decline they experienced in the latter part of the 2024 season.
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