The Pittsburgh Steelers had an offseason of change this year. From a brand new coaching staff to a major roster shakeup, this team looks very different from the one it was this time last year.
One of the major changes has been along the offensive line, as veteran guard Isaac Seumalo was allowed to depart for Arizona. Now, it may be a move the Steelers are quietly regretting.
No one would mistake Seumalo for an all-star player, but he was a steady presence at guard for a very long time. He signed a reasonable deal given his age and is expected to continue that level of play out West.
For Pittsburgh, they are forced to shuffle their line around. Despite draft investments in the position, guard seems like a weakness for this team.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could use a presence like Isaac Seumalo along the offensive line
The shift started after the team drafted Max Iheanachor. With him in the fold, Troy Fautanu quickly made the switch back to the left side of the line. Along with him came his running mate, Mason McCormick.
This left a massive hole at right guard. Many expected that to be filled by third-round pick Gennings Dunker. He was a right tackle in school and was expected to move inside, so right guard seemed like a more natural option for the short term.
Instead, the Steelers have been keeping Dunker almost exclusively at left guard, where he almost certainly won’t be starting next year. All reports have been that it has been a mild start to his Steelers career.
It feels like he is already out of the running to start this year (which is fine; he can use the year to sit and learn). That means the starting right guard will be either Spencer Anderson or Brock Hoffman.
Neither is an established starter. Hoffman has been a versatile backup with spot starts here and there.
Anderson’s claim to fame is his work as a tight end in big packages. His work at guard has been less inspiring. However, he feels like he is first in line to start this season.
I’m fine with him proving his worth, but in a year with an aging Aaron Rodgers at the helm, it feels like a risk. Seumalo would have provided a steady presence for this team once again in a year where they needed it.
You still could have taken Dunker to develop him; you just would have had a better starter in place in the short-term.
Given the early returns from this group, it feels like letting him walk may have been a mistake. Time will tell if they can get enough out of this hodgepodge to make it work for both this year and beyond.
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