3 projected starters Steelers fans should be worried about vs Bills

The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting prepared to take on the Buffalo Bills in Week 1, but here are three projected starters that should have us concerned. 

I would have thought that there would be fewer questions about the Steelers after all NFL teams were forced to cut their rosters down to just 53 players by the August 31st deadline. However, it seems like Mike Tomlin’s team has just as many concerns now after recently sending three players to injured reserve.

The absence of a few of these players so close to the season-opener against the Buffalo Bills has Pittsburgh making a few last-minute changes. Here are three projected starters fans should be worried about to open the season:

Chukwuma Okorafor, right tackle

I think much of Steelers Nation can join me in being concerned with Chukwuma Okorafor against the Bills in Week 1. After grading out as one of the worst offensive tackles in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus, Okorafor made the switch to left tackle early in the offseason and spent all of training camp taking snaps here.

Though Chuks was projected to be the starting left tackle all along, Zach Banner’s recent trip to the reserve/injured list changes things. According to league rules, Banner will have to stay on IR for at least three weeks before Pittsburgh is allowed to activate him.

This change has the Steelers moving Okorafor back to right tackle for the time being. Though he has almost a full year of starting experience here, he hasn’t practiced at right tackle all summer and the results were less than desirable the last time around. We need to see much more from Okorafor on the right side of the offensive line before I feel comfortable with him in this position moving forward.