There’s a lot riding on the line for the Pittsburgh Steelers entering the 2025 season. With training camp ramping up for all 32 NFL teams, Mike Tomlin’s crew will get a glimpse at how things could unfold over the next several months.
For weeks, the biggest question has been how future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers will perform. The franchise’s fate could be determined by him, although one key area on offense might have an impact on that.
In a story for ESPN, a panel of analysts ranked every projected starting lineup in the sport. The Steelers checked in at 19th overall, with their “biggest weakness” being the offensive tackle spot.
Offensive Tackle Named Steelers’ Biggest Weakness Entering 2025 Season
Mike Clay isn’t sold on the club’s potential starting duo. There’s upside, yet there’s also a world where Rodgers’ life is made much more difficult.
“Offensive tackle,” Clay wrote. “Tackle is a major question, but there’s hope about who will protect Aaron Rodgers. Broderick Jones (2023) and Troy Fautanu (2024) were recent first-round picks who could make a big leap forward this season. After struggling at right tackle the past two seasons, Jones is set to take over for Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle this season. Fautanu (who played 49 snaps as a rookie) will replace Jones on the right side.”
It isn’t like clearing the bar Moore set is an insane ask. With that said, the uncertainty surrounding both Jones and Fautanu is legitimate.
The former got his feet wet at left tackle as a rookie but primarily played on the right side. That trend continued in 2024, as he served as the team’s starter there. Results from Jones were mixed, as he posted a 58.5 Pro Football Focus overall grade and fared better in run blocking than pass protection. With Jones moving back to the left side, the optimism surrounding the switch is overwhelming, but middle-ground and worst-case outcomes must also be considered.
Fautanu is almost entirely a wild-card piece. The former 20th overall pick out of Washington suffered a knee injury that essentially redshirted him as a rookie. Fautanu is an explosive player with solid length and a strong lower half, but he’s more of a concept than a realized outcome right now. Interior players like center Zach Frazier are viewed as future stars. Jones and Fautanu must earn those stripes.
Aaron Rodgers Needs Individual Rebound in Potential Final Campaign
Now more than ever, Rodgers needs a stable tackle duo. The four-time NFL MVP will turn 42 in December and while he looked better down the stretch last year with the New York Jets, his mobility post-Achilles tear is clearly diminished.
Surface-level stats like his 3,897 yards and 28 passing touchdowns from a season ago are slightly misleading. At this stage, Rodgers has shown to be more of an average player than a good one. It’s been the case ever since his twilight with the Green Bay Packers.
That might change, though, if the circumstances around him are good. According to PFF, Rodgers posted a sparkling 85.8 passing grade last year when kept clean. When under pressure, that figure fell all the way down to 55.7. On film, the gunslinger was quick to dump passes off to check-down options or simply throw the ball away at times. He doesn’t seem to embrace contact like he once did.
Jones being good is more important than Fautanu. If Rodgers’ blind side is protected, he can feel – and look – more comfortable. The Steelers can likely work around some growing pains for Fautanu. Both players struggling at the same time is a recipe for disaster.
It’s no surprise that given that wide range of outcomes, the tackle group is listed as a weakness until proven a strength.
