Most important storylines after Week 1 of Steelers training camp
- Kenny Pickett overflows with confidence
- Slot cornerback role could be an open competition
By Tommy Jaggi
Steelers offensive tackles struggle
On a more concerning note, the offensive tackles have struggled mightily as a group early at Steelers training camp. Dominance from T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith was to be expected. After all, these two edge defenders now combine for the second-most expensive pass-rush duo in the NFL. However, they aren't the only two players beating up on the tackles so far.
Undersized rookie fourth-round pick, Nick Herbig, might be the most notable player overall to begin camp. He has humiliated Le'Raven Clark thus far and has easy wins against both Chukwuma Okorafor and Dan Moore Jr. As well. Obviously, we hope this is due to great play from Herbig as opposed to poor play from the offensive line.
Realistically, it's a combination of both. But it's not encouraging to see the tackles struggle so badly. Even first-round pick, Broderick Jones, has had a few very sloppy reps so far during team sessions.
Mike Tomlin and Pat Meyer need to figure things out really soon with the offensive tackle group. Moore has had a particularly rough start to camp, and perhaps the switch at left tackle to Jones should come earlier than expected. Once the pads come on, it's possible that this could be a different story, but keep your eye on the whole group of offensive tackles this summer, as their performance will prove to greatly impact the offense in 2023.