Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers told reporters on September 17 that offensive tackle Broderick Jones would receive the opportunity to rebound from his Week 2 benching. But with Troy Fautanu winning the starting job at right tackle during Week 2, it was unclear when Jones’ opportunity would come.
As it turns out, his chance will come immediately.
The Steelers announced on September 21 that they placed Fautanu on injured reserve with a knee injury. Jones will replace Fautanu in the starting lineup at right tackle.
The Steelers will also use offensive lineman John Leglue to replace Fautanu. The team announced that it has elevated Leglue and cornerback James Pierre from the practice squad for the Week 3 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko was the first to report the transactions on September 21.
“Need more guard/tackle depth with Troy Fautanu out and the versatile Spencer Anderson already starting for Isaac Seumalo,” Batko wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Pierre likely will be a core special teamer.”
On injured reserve, Fautanu will miss at least the next four games.
Broderick Jones to Replace Troy Fautanu at RT for Steelers
Fautanu first hurt his left knee during the preseason opener. The Steelers diagnosed him with a left MCL sprain, and Fautanu didn’t play the rest of the preseason or in Week 1.
He returned on September 15 to start against the Denver Broncos. But he departed practice on September 20.
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported that Fautanu left practice after feeling ‘a little tweak’ in his knee.
Fautanu will be eligible to return from injured reserve ahead of a Week 7 against the New York Jets. But ESPN’s Adam Schefter made it sound like the rookie is far from guaranteed to return in four weeks.
“Sources: Steelers starting rookie right tackle Troy Fautanu injured his knee during Friday’s practice and, while he still is undergoing further evaluation, he now is expected to be sidelined indefinitely,” wrote Schefter on X.
Without Fautanu, Jones will step back into the Steelers starting lineup at right tackle. Jones started at right tackle in the season opener, but Fautanu and Jones rotated at the position during Week 2.
On his only series of the game, Jones committed two holding penalties and a false start and was subsequently benched.
Jones and Fautanu were both Pittsburgh first-round picks over the past two years. The Steelers selected Jones at No. 14 overall in the 2023 draft while they picked Fautanu at No. 20 overall this past spring.
Steelers Elevate John Leglue, James Pierre From Practice Squad for Week 3
Injuries have decimated the Steelers offensive line early this season.
Although second-round rookie center Zach Frazier has played well, he wasn’t necessarily supposed to start ahead of veteran interior offensive lineman Nate Herbig. But Herbig is out for the season with a torn rotator cuff.
An injured pectoral has sidelined starting left guard Isaac Seumalo too. Seumalo is not on injured reserve, but he won’t play for the third straight week versus the Chargers.
If any other injuries occur to the Steelers offensive line in Week 3, the team could turn to Leglue fresh off the practice squad.
Leglue last dressed for an NFL regular season game for the Atlanta Falcons in 2023. During his only game last season, he played 13 offensive snaps and two snaps on special teams.
In 2021, Leglue played in six games for the Steelers. He started the final five games of that season at left guard.
Leglue was an undrafted rookie in 2019. In addition to the Steelers and Falcons, he has spent time with the Broncos, New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, and Tennessee Titans in his career.
Like Leglue, Pierre will make his 2024 regular season debut versus the Chargers. Pierre has played each of the past four seasons with the Steelers. He made 8 combined tackles in 16 games during 2023.
Pierre played at least 196 special teams snaps each season from 2020-23. He will likely replace Ben Skowronek, who went on injured reserve after Week 2, on the Steelers punt coverage team.
