2022 Steelers Training Camp Preview: The Offensive Linemen
It’s hard to believe but the Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 Training Camp is right around the corner. As we countdown the days until camp begins, SCU will highlight each position group detailing the players who will be competing for a spot on the Steelers’ final 53-man roster at the end of this Summer.
The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line has undergone a metamorphosis from its hey day in the mid-2010’s to the present day.
The formerly top-ranked unit used to boast two perennial All-Pro’s with C Maurkice Pouncey and G David DeCastro. OT Alejandro Villanueva worked his way into Pro Bowl form on the left side of the line, while his counterpart, OT Marcus Gilbert, was often considered a vastly underrated right tackle. G Ramon Foster filled out the five starters, with the veteran often tasked with making the silent snap counts in hostile environments.
Entering 2022 all of those players are now gone.
It began with Gilbert, who was dealing with nagging injuries and left the team in 2019. Foster was next, who opted to retire in 2020 after rumors of trade deals started swirling.
Pouncey famously sat with Ben Roethlisberger on the bench following a disastrous Wild Card playoff loss to end the 2020 season. It would be the last time we’d see him in a Steelers uniform, as he announced his retirement one month later.
Villanueva aged, and was not brought back last season, while DeCastro struggled with a foot injury, never recovered properly, and was released heading into training camp nearly one year ago.
Each of those players left big shoes to fill, and the Steelers front office is still adjusting to the changes. While their replacements aren’t all household names, they are ones you will want to know, as the big boys are the frontline against opposing defenses.
The hope is that these moves are enough to open up offensive coordinator Matt Canada‘s schemes by protecting whoever ends up playing the quarterback position, while also opening a path for RB Najee Harris to run through.
Here’s a look at the 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers offensive linemen.
Chukwuma Okorafor
A 2018 third round draft pick with the Steelers, “Chuks” was set to hit free agency following the expiration of his four-year rookie contract in March. While he’s faced criticism, the offensive tackle market wasn’t very strong this offseason, and bringing back the now veteran player was a wise decision by the Steelers.
Okorafor has started 31 of 33 possible games over the last two seasons, beginning with taking over for an injured Zach Banner in Week 1 of the 2020 season.
2022 Outlook
Considering the sweeping changes that have been made over the last two years, the Steelers would’ve struggled to find a comparable replacement in free agency, and as we now know, would’ve likely been out of the running to land any major draft pick at the position as well.
Okorafor signed a three-year deal full of roster bonuses. In other words, he only costs the team financially if he plays well.
That’s the hope going forward, but hardly leaves the team in a major bind if he struggles. As it stands, he was the best offensive lineman on the team last season… if that’s saying much.
James Daniels
One of the bigger “gets” for the Steelers in free agency, Daniels will slide into the right guard position vacated by DeCastro last summer and previously manned by the underwhelming Trai Turner.
The former Chicago Bear signed a three-year deal worth $26.5 million. With 48 starts under his belt, Daniels was largely considered one of the best free agent guards available.
2022 Outlook
The Steelers are hoping they landed their anchor at right guard.
Daniels is still incredibly young – he turns 25-years-old in September – and could be with the team for the long haul as they continue to add more pieces to the O-line mix.
Mason Cole
Another free agent addition, Cole comes to the Steelers by way of the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals, where he played both guard and center throughout his NFL career.
2022 Outlook
Cole’s contract had some thinking he should be a starter. While his deal doesn’t scream “big time” money, it certainly speaks to being more than a reserve role.
The question heading into offseason workouts was, “Is he a guard or a center?”
It appears that the Steelers will, in fact, use Cole at center, based on where he was practicing during minicamps this spring. Regardless, he’s a steady hand that could easily kick over to left guard and provide a veteran presence on the interior of the line.
Dan Moore Jr.
Entering year two, Dan Moore appears to be the default option to start at left tackle, after assuming the role in training camp last season when Zach Banner wasn’t ready to compete and Chuks Okorafor moved over to the right side.
Moore started 16 games as a rookie and looks to improve upon an up-and-down 2021 seaosn.
2022 Outlook
As of now, there’s little-to-no competition for Moore. The Steelers signed Joe Haeg to a two-year deal last offseason, but he mainly backed up Moore and Okorafor as the swing tackle off of the bench.
Unless the Steelers add more depth, the left tackle job appears to be Moore’s to lose.
Kendrick Green
Last year’s third round draft pick, Green was looking to make a transition from guard in college to center in the pros.
That transition may have been halted with the signing of Mason Cole, perhaps cementing the benching of Green at the end of the 2021 season for an “injury” while Pittsburgh placed J.C. Hassenaeur into the starting center role.
2022 Outlook
Green has been working this offseason with former Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey. However, he may have a better inside track of playing guard, particularly on the left side, as he did in college.
The worst case scenario is that the Steelers end up with a versatile backup who can play either guard or center, and has starting experience.
Kevin Dotson
A fourth-round pick in 2020, Dotson started four games his rookie season and was being looked upon as growing into a full-time starter at left guard in 2021.
He reportedly showed up to training camp last season out of shape, and seemingly demoted, despite earning the starting job.
2022 Outlook
Interestingly enough, the Steelers added James Daniels in place of Trai Turner, but didn’t add another seasoned guard to the mix for training camp.
Due to injuries and other setbacks along the line, the Steelers were forced to play five different players at the position last year, including Dotson, Hassenaeur, Haeg, and John Leglue.
Outgoing general manager Kevin Colbert mentioned that Kendrick Green could make a move to guard, and the inactivity of the front office suggests that they feel Green could be a viable option if Dotson isn’t up to snuff this season.
Joe Haeg
Haeg’s versatility and experience makes him a valuable asset for the Steelers. Having played guard and tackle in the NFL, and last season, he returns to Pittsburgh with one-year left on the deal he signed last spring.
Haeg started two games for the Steelers last season and played significant snaps on offense in half of them.
2022 Outlook
Haeg is an intriguing option for the Steelers. Originally a fifth-round pick with the Colts in 2016, he started 29 games in his first two seasons, playing right tackle and right guard.
He landed on the injured reserve list in year three after playing both sides at tackle – and ultimately lost his spot in Indy before signing with Tampa Bay in 2020, where he would have three more starts under his belt.
The 29-year-old probably isn’t viewed as an upgrade over the likes of anyone else mentioned thus far in this article, but he should be the primary option off of the bench if there’s an injury or one of the starters underperforms. (In fact, Haeg appears to be the only other viable option the Steelers have at offensive tackle as of this time.)
Best of the Rest
Center/Guard J.C. Hassenaeur returns for his third season with the Steelers. The journeyman is still a young 26-years-old and snuck some playing time in the last two seasons in place of Maurkice Pouncey and Kendrick Green.
He’s also seen time at guard, as part of the revolving door on the left side especially in 2021.
John Leglue was an undrafted guard out of Tulane who was called upon last season due to the injuries along the line, primarily manning the left guard spot. He had previously sat and developed on the Steelers practice squad in 2020 and throughout 2021, until his number was called for his first start in Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings.
He would remain the starter through the end of the season.
Chaz Green is another journeyman. Listed as a tackle, he’s been on six different NFL rosters and returns to Pittsburgh after one season in which he primarily spent time with the practice squad – and didn’t register any snaps on offense.
Undrafted rookie Chris Owens rounds out this list as the most intriguing addition to the group.
A rare six-year player in college, he started 20 games for the Crimson Tide, including 12 at right tackle and 1 at center in 2021. In 2020 he filled in for Landon Dickerson, appearing in 11 games with 3 starts.
He could end up being a developmental player who carves out a role, especially with a path ahead of him at center that has question marks such as Cole, Green, and Hassenaeur.
