Amidst the Pittsburgh Steelers' train wreck that was their performance against the Chargers, an interesting tidbit emerged about their offensive line. Spencer Anderson has made a lot of noise as the beloved sixth offensive lineman and eligible receiver on plays.
This week seemed like a great opportunity for the third-year player. Isaac Seumalo was down with a pec injury, so Anderson seemed like the natural replacement.
He was, sort of, but the team opted for a more unique approach to their offensive line.
While Anderson was the starter, he still served as the sixth offensive lineman whenever that package was used. In his place, veteran Andrus Peat played guard. This only amounted to eight snaps, but this is pretty significant.
Instead of seeing Anderson as a guard who can play as the sixth lineman, they clearly see him as a sixth lineman who can play guard. For his long-term future, this probably isn’t good.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will likely look for someone else instead of Spencer Anderson at guard next year
While not confirmed, it certainly feels like this is Seumalo’s last year for the Steelers. Nagging injuries have taken their toll, and his overall play has slipped a little.
This leaves a starting spot wide open on the Steelers' offensive line. On paper, Anderson would be the first to get a look there. However, based on the fact that this team really seems inclined to keep him as a versatile backup, I’m not sure he is clearly their guy.
READ MORE: Steelers overthought everything with the Darius Slay disaster
The sixth offensive line package has been effective this season for the team, and Anderson deserves praise for that. However, being so willing to sacrifice your left guard in favor of keeping a player as a sixth lineman tells me this team doesn’t view Anderson as a legitimate long-term starter.
Will Anderson be in a camp battle next year? Almost certainly. Unless the team breaks the bank on a big-name guard in free agency, it is more than likely that a day two pick is used on a guard. I’d bet Anderson ultimately loses that battle.
Had the Steelers gone into this game with Anderson as their every-snap starter, it would have provided more hope that he could be your solution at guard next year. Instead, they clearly wanted him to remain as their sixth lineman. I don’t see a world where that changes for him in 2026.