Steelers Nearly Moved Another Lineman to Wrong Position

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are dealing with some big-time injuries on the offensive line, and are a little thin heading into Week 1. With Nate Herbig on Injured Reserve with a shoulder injury, and Isaac Seumalo set to miss multiple weeks with a pectoral strain, the team is looking at a few backups and younger players to step up early.

With Zach Frazier, that’s no worry. The second-round rookie is already viewed as the future of the position, and even if Herbig was the starter during training camp, chances were that Frazier was taking over at some point during the season.

As for Seumalo, his backups are fourth-round rookie Mason McCormick and second-year seventh-round pick Spencer Anderson. Anderson is the favorite to start during Seumalo’s absence, but the Steelers almost made another lineman move they could’ve regretted.

According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac, the Steelers were considering moving first-round rookie Troy Fautanu from right tackle o left guard if Seumalo was to miss the entire season.

“If Seumalo’s injury required surgery and caused him to miss the entire season, it is likely the Steelers would have moved Fautanu to guard. But, in the short term, they do not have plans to do that,” Dulac writes.

This would’ve been another move in a series of line shifts that the Steelers would be taking a risk with. They’re currently dealing with the struggles of Broderick Jones, who was moved from left tackle to right tackle, and have already moved on from names like Kendrick Green and Kevin Dotson, who have both found success at their natural positions after having the play somewhere unfamilair in Pittsburgh.

The team won’t make the move, but it wouldn’t have some with much praise if they did. After seeing players leave and return to their successful form, and with all the questions surrounding Jones and his development, head coach Mike Tomlin would’ve been in hot water from the fanbase if he decided to move the rookie first-round pick as well.

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