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Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 NFL training camp officially opens on July 26 at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. That’s where head coach Mike Tomlin and his staff will make the tough decisions that lead to the final 53-man Steelers roster. Of those tough decisions, none will be more difficult than putting together the Steelers offensive line this season.
The Steelers' toughest roster decision in training camp will be the offensive line
The Steelers did what they always do last season and finished over .500 under Mike Tomlin.
On one hand, that’s quite an accomplishment for a team in transition with a rookie quarterback at the helm. On the other hand, this is the Pittsburgh Steelers. And this franchise is about making the playoffs and winning Super Bowls, not scratching out nine wins a season.
In Kenny Pickett’s first year under center, though, finishing 9-8 was a positive result overall. Now, the key is to build on that with a double-digit win campaign and a playoff appearance.
To do that, the team brought in 13 free agents this season to add new talent to the team. And the biggest signings were along the offensive line. The team made a splash by stealing guard Isaac Semalo from the cross-state Philadelphia Eagles and arguably the best O-line in the league. They also brought in Nick Herbig from the New York Jets for some added depth.
These additions mean the Steelers offensive line roster heading into training camp looks like this. At tackle, there is Chukwuma Okorafor, Broderick Jones, Dan Moore Jr., Le'Raven Clark, and Jarrid Williams. At guard, there is James Daniels, Isaac Seumalo, Kevin Dotson, Kendrick Green, Nate Herbig, Spencer Anderson, and William Dunkle. Finally, at center, it is Mason Cole, Ryan McCollum, and Trevor Downing.
Pittsburgh brings back all five starters on the offensive line for the first time since 2019. Okofur, Daniels, Cole, Dotson, and Moore were a solid group last season, but obviously, the Steelers thought they needed an upgrade because they addressed the line with their biggest free agent signing and with their first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. That’s when the team selected Georgia tackle Broderick Jones No. 14 overall.
The battles for the starting positions are the first reasons why the Steelers offensive line makes for the toughest training camp decisions. Seumalo will be the starter at the beginning of camp, but Dotson will surely put up a fight, as will Green, who competed for the starting job last season.
After that, the real biggest battle will be Moore vs. the rookie Jones. This isn’t decided yet by any means and will be a true competition where performance in practices and preseason games will determine the winner.
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So, that’s seven players for five spots, with Moore and Dotson likely heading for backup roles, although they will absolutely be on the Steelers roster. After that, there are just two more spots, as most NFL teams carry nine O-linemen on the 53-man roster.
With Dotson in at guard, Herbig will likely fill the other slot. He’s looked good in the offseason workouts, and the Steelers did go out and sign him for a reason. That means that Kendrick Green and Spencer Anderson, two talented players, could be gone by the end of training camp.
That said, moving the positional battles a little further down the line, the Steelers could keep Green on the roster as the backup center, which is a position he’s also adept at. Green will compete with McCollum, who’s been on and off the Steelers roster for a few years now, and undrafted rookie out of Iowa State, Trevor Downing. Green should win this job and make the roster as well.
Finally, that leaves room for one more swing tackle, with Le'Raven Clark and Jarrid Williams competing for the gig. These two couldn’t be more different. Williams is 26 and comes from the Eagles practice squad last season. Clark is 30 and has played 64 NFL games during his six seasons in the league.
This Steelers offensive line battle will come down to what the team needs as much as how each player plays. While Williams has more upside and could potentially become a better player, Clark is a consummate professional and an experienced veteran.
With a line protecting a rookie quarterback, as much as it would be nice for Tomlin to keep someone for Pickett to grow with when we’re talking ninth O-lineman, the experience, and leadership will probably win out.
So, while it won’t be easy to get there, the final Steelers offensive line at the end of training camp should be Chukwuma Okorafor, Broderick Jones, Dan Moore Jr., Le'Raven Clark, James Daniels, Isaac Seumalo, Kevin Dotson, Kendrick Green, Nate Herbig, and Mason Cole.
