Steelers Offensive Line Woes Are Self-Imposed

Earlier this year the Steelers got the news that starting right tackle Willie Colon will be placed on the injured reserve for the second straight season. Colon was recently signed to a five-year deal worth $29 million. 

Earlier in the offseason the Steelers released tackles Max Starks and Flozell Adams. Both players were cut to make room on the Steelers bloated salary cup. I understand that but neither Adams or Starks has a job right now. 

Jonathan Scott, who for some reason was re-signed this year, then suffered an injury in the win over the Indianapolis Colts. Might have been a blessing in disguise as Scott has been by far the worst lineman for the Steelers so far this year. 

Scott leads the league in holding calls in the last 12 games. When he's not holding he's getting beat by pass rushers and getting his quarterback killed. 

The Steelers offensive line has been abysmal this year as a whole. Can't run the ball, can't protect their quarterback. At this point I'm impressed that they're able to dress themselves.

The current offensive line is just not acceptable. You have a $100 million dollar quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger, and you're protecting him with a $5 offensive line. UNACCEPTABLE! 

Not one of the Steelers current offensive lineman would start for another NFL team, with the exception of Pouncey, who's a stud. 

Jonathan Scott sucks. Doug Legurksy sucks. Gilbert is a second round draft pick rookie. Chris Kemoeatu is good when he pulls to the right, but besides that he sucks and is overpaid. 

Hindsight is 20/20 but why did they give Colon the contract that they did? He missed the entire season last year with a major injury, and it's not like he was an All-Pro player before that. Colon wasn't worth that kind of money. 

Kemoeatu isn't worth the money and contract that he has right now either. Kemoeatu is highly inconsistent and is not a Pro Bowler. Contract was awful and the Steelers' are regretting it now. 

Legurksy is not a starting guard. He's a decent backup at best and his best position is at center. The Steelers already have one of those. They should have kept and started Tony Hills, who started right guard for most of the preseason. Hills has much more athleticism and upside than Legursky. 


Now with Scott injured, Trai Essex will start. Essex was cut by the Steelers after being here as a backup forever. Essex is nothing but a career backup, although he might be a better player than Scott, who sucks. 


If either Chris Kemoeatu or Legursky can't play, Ramon Foster will start. I personally think Foster should start over Legursky anyways. 


Right now the Steelers are in trouble. They got manhandled up front against the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts.

How do the Steelers plan on being an effective offense with such a bad offensive line? Roethlisberger never has time to throw, Rashard Mendenhall never has a hole to run through. 

Roethlisberger is the best player on the team, at least on the offense. The offense should be built around him. Look at the New England Patriots with Tom Brady. Three of their seven highest paid players are offensive lineman. Their first round draft pick this year, an offensive lineman. 

The Steelers only have one offensive lineman in their top 13 highest paid players. They've drafted one offensive lineman in the first round since 2004. The talent is just not there and neither is the commitment to improving the line. 

Every year they just try and put a band-aid on it, it's a offensive line patch-up job. That's a good way of getting your franchise quarterback killed. 

I understand the Steelers have been built on defense but their quarterback is a pretty good player. The defense is starting to look old really quick. Yet the Steelers have so much money invested in defensive players over the age of 30. 

James Farrior is 36, Larry Foote is 31. They split time at inside linebacker. This year they're making almost $10 million combined. There's no need for both of them to be on this team. If the Steelers would have released one of them like they should have, they would have the money to sign either Adams or Starks. 

Casey Hampton, a nose tackle who plays sparingly, is currently the fourth highest paid player on the team and is 33 years old. Hampton has been a good player and a great person in the community, but his prime is past and Chris Hoke has proven he can do just as good as Hampton for far less money. 

The Steelers also decided to re-sign Ryan Clark, Bryant McFadden, and William Gay. The secondary has a good mix of mediocre players and old players. 

The Steelers should be embarrassed about their current situations with the salary cap and the offensive line. Roethlisberger has won this team two Super Bowls and a lot of games and is just coming into his prime. They have to spend money to equip proper talent around him. That's what all the other teams do with their franchise quarterbacks. 

The Steelers are also paying Aaron Smith over $6 million this year. Why? Smith has been the most injury-prone player on the team and is 35 years old. The Steelers also just drafted defensive ends in the first round in the last three drafts. Let the young guys play. Save money for other positions. 

As for the what they can do with the offensive line right now, it looks very glum Steeler Nation. Max Starks had a workout with the Vikings. The Steelers still can't afford to bring back Flozell Adams. 
What's Alan Faneca doing? Maybe they can bring back Jeff Hartings as well? 


The Steelers' offensive line situation is an embarrassment. They should be ashamed of it. 


 The projected starting offensive line for the game against the Texans looks like this: 


LT: Essex
LG:Kemoeatu
C: Pouncey
RG: Foster
RT: Gilbert


The Texans have a very good front seven which features Mario Williams and Connor Barwin. Yikes. 


Hey at least the Steelers have plenty of linebackers! 

Follow me on Twitter