Roster Breakdown: Analyzing the Steelers offensive line in 2019

The Steelers boasted one of the best offensive lines in the league over the past five seasons. Here are my thoughts on them heading into the 2019 season.

The Steelers offensive line looks pretty good going into the season, but that could change. Here is a look at the offensive linemen on the 90 man roster and how it looks for them to make the 53.

Locks

Alejandro Villanueva is slated to be the Steelers left tackle. It is a nice story how he went from West Point tight end to an Army Ranger. He was eventually was an undrafted free agent defensive lineman who was released before becoming a Pro Bowl left tackle for the Steelers.

Although I would say his play has been less than Pro Bowl worthy, (his story is probably why he got voted in) I think he is a solid left tackle for the Steelers. He is 30 years old now and is under contract for the next two seasons. My hope is that he has less wear and tear on him because of the slow start to his NFL career. However, we don’t know how much tread is on him after serving in the military.

Ramon Foster got a new contract this year, and he deserved it. He has been a consistent left guard for the Steelers for years now. He is 33 now, and so it is plausible that the decline in his play could start this year.

Foster has been a leader for the team is recent years and sometimes has been the signal caller for the offensive line when Maurkice Pouncey has been hurt. The Steelers need his leadership, and he is coming off a solid 2018. Lets hope it continues into 2019.

Maurkice Pouncey is one of the leaders of the Steelers. He is also one of the highest paid NFL centers. When healthy, he has been a center with the athleticism to pull like a guard. He also is a potential Hall of Famer. I will say that I think he is overrated but he is still a consistent center. I also think his play has declined a bit the past two years.

Pouncey is aging like the rest of the left side of the Steelers offensive line and so that is something to consider. He does keep himself in great shape and is on the right side of 30 (29) so I am not concerned about a down year from Pouncey. He is Roethlisberger’s guy and so I expect him to be the center for the next three seasons.

David DeCastro is the Steelers best offensive lineman. He did play the 2018 season with a broken hand and was still solid. I expect with a full offseason to heal that he will be one of the best guards in the NFL.

He still has three years left on his deal; so, I expect him to be on the team as their right guard for the next two or three seasons. He is 29, but he strikes me as a gritty player who could play into his mid thirties.

Chukwuma Okorafor is in the fold to be the Steelers right tackle in 2019. He will battle Matt Feiler and Jerald Hawkins for the job. Although I think Matt Feiler is the favorite to be the right tackle, I wouldn’t count Okorafor out for the job.

Okorafor will be entering his second season, and he has NFL left tackle potential. I ultimately think he will take over for Alejandro Villanueva when he is done, but it would be nice if he could get some experience playing right tackle for the next couple of seasons.

Matt Feiler is a player you love to have. He can play most positions on the offensive line and was the Steelers right tackle when Marcus Gilbert went down. He was a solid right tackle last year and so the Steelers would be fine if he was the right tackle in 2018.

My hope is that he gets some time playing center in the preseason; so, that he can keep his position flexibility in case they need some depth on the interior of the offensive line. I still think his most natural position is guard but his play at right tackle last year has me believing the Steelers could develop low pedigree offensive linemen.

BJ Finney is the Steelers sixth offense lineman. He is the top backup at all three interior positions, and the hope is that he will stay around long enough to take the left guard job after Ramon Foster is done with it.

Finney is capable of being a starter in the NFL – which is probably why the Steelers slapped a second round tender on him. He is the next man up on the offensive line as long as the injury is not at tackle.

Inside Looking out

Jerald Hawkins is on the inside looking out as he has played well when called upon. The worry is that he tore his ACL before the season started in 2018 and so he lost a year of development. He could potentially win the right tackle job as he was drafted in the fourth round based on potential.

I could also see a scenario where the Steelers keep Zach Banner and/or Derwin Gray instead of him. It all depends on where he is in terms of his injury and development in the preseason.

Roster Bubble

Derwin Gray was the Steelers seventh round pick, so it will be interesting to see where that goes for Pittsburgh. He is position flexible and the Steelers have a history of taking those players and making them be able to play all five positions on the offensive line.

Gray is an average run blocker with a big frame. The thing I worry about with him is his lateral movement – especially in pass blocking.

Outside Looking In

Zach Banner may have more trouble making the team than he did last year. He will have to compete with Jerald Hawkins for the fourth tackle job on the roster, and there is no guarantee that the Steelers keep four tackles.

The Steelers also might choose Derwin Gray over him if they think he has better upside. Derwin Gray may have more position flexibility. Zach Banner does have a big frame to work with, so that may be the reason he sticks around.

Battling for the Practice Squad

Patrick Morris will get his second shot with the Steelers, as he has done enough to stick around with the team. He was a tryout player who made the team and then was cut only to be put on the 2018 practice squad. I don’t think he will make the team this year, but he could add some depth at center on the practice squad.

J.C. Hassenauer is an AAF player who played for the Birmingham Iron. He played center in the Association of American Football. Hassenaauer had to have played well enough to earn a contract with the Steelers. He was on Alabama in 2017, and started at guard in the National Championship game. He will be competing with Patrick Morris for that job as the interior lineman on the practice squad.

Garrett Brumfield was an undrafted free agent from LSU. He is a guard and has gotten praise from Ramon Foster during OTAs. I think its still too early to say whether or not he will make the practice squad, but that is a sign that he could be one of the usual two kept.

Fred Johnson is another player that got praise from Ramon Foster after OTAs. He is probably the best of this group of linemen who are battling for the practice squad. Some thought he could have been drafted in 2019. He is a lineman from Florida.

Damien Prince was a tryout player who may have unseated R.J. Prince. I don’t think there is any relation between the two players despite having the same last name. This year had an unusual amount of tryout players make the team, and that is a good sign, as tryout players have a good track record of getting a chance on the Steelers practice squad. He might have an easier path because there are not as many practice squad eligible tackles on the 90 man roster.