PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Not likely a unit on this team with more eyes on it than the Steelers offensive line. The only player who could start in their same position as last year is Zach Banner and he unfortunately went down for 2020 with a knee injury in the first game.
Steelers lose veteran Pro Bowl guard David DeCastro following his release. Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey retired and free agent tackle Alejandro Villanueva signed with the Ravens. Steelers even have a new offensive line coach, the former assistant Adrian Klemm.
A five-year NFL vet himself, Klemm believes new offensive coordinator Matt Canada's offense will make it easier for the line. It's less complicated and will allow them to be more aggressive.
"You can't shy away from it," Klemm said of his coaching style. "You set the tone. You create an environment in a room; carry that onto the field. You are demanding every single day. It's not a democracy in our room, it's what it is."
He believes he has a group that is ready to show what they can do.
"Their livelihood is on the line," Klemm said. "A lot of guys in this room haven't played before and are trying to make the team. For me it's enjoyable because you are not begging guys to play. We are not begging guys to do the right thing. The want to do the right thing because they want to stay here."
"I think the message is being received, whether or not everyone can do it is another thing. Hopefully we can lead the way and it becomes contagious with our entire performance."
OFFENSIVE LINE (14) - Rashaad Coward, Kevin Dotson, BJ Finney, Jarron Jones, Chukwuma Okorafor, Zach Banner, Aviante Collins, Anthony Coyle, Joe Haeg, John Leglue, Dan Moore, Jr., Brandon Walton, JC Hassenauer, Kendrick Green, Trai Turner
STARTERS – Assuming Banner returns on time from his knee injury, and all signs point to that, he will start at right tackle. Banner is an emerging leader on the line and brings a grit and toughness with a run-blocking mentality.
Free-agent signee Trai Turner will start for DeCastro. The 28-year-old selected to five Pro Bowls, but missed seven Chargers games in 2020 with knee and groin injuries. Turner, 6'3", 315 pounds, missed three games in 2019 with an ankle injury.
While Green could be the future as a third round pick, look for JC Hassenauer to start at center. Unless Green would make big strides during training camp. The 25-year-old Hassenauer is an amazing story, never starting at Alabama. Hassenauer started four games with the Steelers in 2020 and played in 15.
Dotson starts at left guard. Given some of what we saw in his rookie season, could be a fixture there for years. A Steelers fourth round pick, Dotson is an intense run blocker at 6'4", 321 pounds starting four of 13 games last year.
Chukwuma Okorafor moves from right tackle to left this season. In his fourth season, Okorafor has been grooming for a starting spot for a year now, beat out by Banner in camp in 2020. Okorafor would start the rest of the 16 games (including post-season) and now moves to block for Ben Roethlisberger's blind side. It's also a contract year for Okorafor.
BACK-UPS – Finney, who can play center and guard, is back after an out-of-shape, disappointing year with Seattle and Cincinnati in 2020. Haeg blocked for the World Champion Bucs last year. Coward is coming off a bad year with the Bears but has NFL experience (15 starts, 30 games) and the frame, 6'5", 326 pounds if he finds a fresh start with the Steelers. Moore is a former captain at Texas A&M and second team All-SEC.
OUTLOOK – A number of new faces with little experience beyond Turner, who is new to the Steelers. To watch Klemm coach these guys, you have to believe they will be more physical and play with an edge. So much rides on their success.
