This years o-line is......

What say you? Obviously they haven't played a meaningful game yet but where can this line realistically get to?

 

I actually think better than last year. I don't think We are as far off on pass protection as some think, but our run blocking is really bad....Although it's a new coach, and they will need time 2 bring it all together.
They allowed 6 sacks in 3 games with 3 different Qbs ,and a million different lineups.....also 3 of those sacks are the fault of 2 different Qbs .

 

Exactly my thoughts. I really think about week 4 we will see them clicking.

 

Let’s hope they also click on run blocking or else we waste another year with Najee

 

Being slightly better than a bag of smashed azzholes really ain't saying much.

 

The overall point of this post is that a lot of us are worried that this o-line might get the QBs injured but we forget about last year. They played a statue behind that line and managed to make the playoffs.
Clearly I'm not saying they're going to make the playoffs but from what I've seen from the pass protection this preseason, I feel confident that they can gameplan around that bad line as they did last year. Is that ideal? Hell no. That leads to the same short passing game many of us railed against last year.
Now, the run blocking is a whole other animal. I don't see us having much production on that front.

 

We have playmakers on this offensive, if this OL can be somewhat respectful
we can be competitive. I am a half glass full kinda of guy. Najee Harris, George Pickens, Dionte Johnson, Pat Friermuth, Conner Heyward Kenny P. Mitch T can play, but need help.

 

I posted a few weeks ago that IMO team starts out rough but gels later in season. Will it be enough?? We'll just wait and see.

 

By week six or thereabouts I think it is reasonable to expect some improvement. They have a new OLine coach and several new starters. This unit was always going to have a rocky start, and that’s one of the reasons Mitch needs to be the starter initially, he is pretty good under pressure and seems to have good pocket awareness and elusiveness.

The big worry is Moore, he has been terrible and needs to improve dramatically. If he can just not be a total liability the line might be fine, Dotson needs to stay healthy as well.

 

It takes time for continuity to happen. They have to decide the starting 5 and go with it.

I feel they will let Dan Moore stay put hoping he works out. Maybe give him a tight end chipper once in a while.

We lost a lot of starting offensive lineman in a short period of time.

Drafting Green and playing him at center was a mistake and watching him play the left guard position I see zero change. Makes the roster

Moore's arrow was pointing up last season but has takin a dive. Needs to get better and quick. I'm hoping.

Danials has been a bit of a disappointment but I believe he will be fine.

Cole has held his own. I don't recall him getting any penalties.

Chuks has been quietly taking care of business.

Dotson is the starting left guard hoping he stays healthy and keeps Green nowhere near getting in a game. I would have kept Leglue although Hassenour can play guard.

 

I was looking at last season's first 5 games and kind of thinking about this past preseason.
Last season was terrible and seemed to remain at the same level, barely serviceable.
I just can't find a whole lot of improvement through the preseason and training camp.
They just are not on the same page.

But BAM, the regular season is here, and it now counts.
Officially I am 'cautiously optimistic' (Maybe the mobile QB, the run game, Pickens, etc... helps?)

 

It's going to be better... but it still doesn't look good right now. Just hope they get comfortable with what Meyer is teaching them and it actually works. Cole and Oko have been decent. Daniels was a good player in Chicago. Dotson and Moore had several good games as rookies. JC and Davis should be good depth. They need to admit Green is terrible and replace him with whatever vet is available. It just needs to come together.

 

i don't think this roster is a done deal yet but this starting group may be for now. haeg, scott and leglue were surprises. davis leaves a little wiggle room. so does jc. i think green has been kept as the 3rd center capable guy, which we have gotten to before. davis is essentially haeg that can play guard a little better. he is essentially leglue that can play tackle a little better. scott though was the guy that knew this system of myers and i thought looked pretty decent at LT in the preseason. he may be the guy they bring back. i don't know how it translates to PS or if he can be put on the PS. remember they can dress an extra o-lineman on gameday.

 

It’s like having 5 of these lol

 

Offensive line rarely go from lousy to even average without a high priced free agent of high draft pick. When Kansas City had a horrible o line in super bowl, they signed two high priced free agents and solved it in a year. We on the other hand draft third rounders who are too small and suck like green and then sign two stiffs who can’t play a lick. I am glad we traded for new dude and will reserve judgement until see him play. Watching the preseason performance reminded me a lot of last years debacle where we could never ever run on third and yard and get it. I know that the OC Canada love putting the running back 8 yards back and runs the slowest play on earth which does not help but third and one has been a train wreck for last three years

 

Organic or mass-produced?

My concern with “wait and see them gel”: injuries.

 

........Other
Missing Mike Munchak big time!

 

I’m not sure the situation in KC is something that would be easy to replicate. As well as signing Brown and Thuney KC got unbelievably lucky in the following draft, getting Humphrey at the end of the second round and Smith in the sixth. It is rare that you hit on two immediate high level starters like that in one draft, and especially not as late as the sixth round. You could argue it was great team building and drafting but I think there was a good deal of luck involved too. If they had any idea Smith was that good they wouldn’t have waited until the end of the sixth to draft him, and I think Humphrey surprised everyone as well to an extent.

I definitely agree with your overall point, the Steelers have underinvested in the offensive line over a decade really, and it is coming back to bite them big time. They were able to turn water in to wine with guys like Feiler and Villanueva and I wonder did they think they could keep that approach rolling. I expect they’ll have to prioritise the line in 2023 unless there is significant improvement during the regular season, which is unlikely as you say.

 

Yes, but that is the biggest problem anticipated. If we can't run effectively with Najee and stay one dimensional like last year, it's boom or bust. And regardless of what anyone thinks about the 3 QB possibilities we currently have and the continued hate that gets leveled at Ben, the fact remains that Ben is/was the best QB option that this team has had even in the twilight of his career over the past couple of seasons. So until Mitch, Pickett, or Rudolph proves otherwise, and I'm talking about something more meaningful than preseason, I don't share the same optimism that some folks have looking through the black and gold colored glasses. Prove it. Everything else is just guessing and acting like clueless homers.

 

and little mention of coaching in this thread - I will be brief and say that it sucks.

 

You are correct but I wouldn't say having a certain amount of optimism means you're looking through black and gold colored glasses. No more than reserving judgment until later, or even being a little pessimistic makes a person "doom and gloom". There is a wide area between those two things that many people on this board seem either unable or unwilling to venture in to.

 

Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. There's no way I can tell you for sure. I weld and fabricate for a living. I can tell you if a weld looks sh!tty, but then know how to fix it. I'll stick with what I know and let the pros figure it out.

 

I hear people saying we need Munchak back, but I don't see how he helps with Greene or in my opinion just as bad Moore.
Do you need a Hall Of Fame coach to tell you not to let your man run right pass you?
And how Greene cleats slide through the grass like that while getting bull rushed is amazing.

 

I gotta wonder about Pat Myer.