The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line had been one of the lower tier units in the NFL. However, that’s all beginning to change, and they’ve achieved their improvement by looking into the past.
According to former Pittsburgh legend Mike Pouncey, one of the reasons the Steelers offensive line had been successful in the past was their chemistry. The unit had built it by getting together to hangout at one of their teammate’s houses during the season. Unfortunately, their play dwindled as the new guard came in, and the hangouts became less frequent.
But this past season was different. The newbies along the Steelers offensive line decided to follow Pouncey’s advice, getting together weekly to build chemistry once again.
Steelers offensive lineman Dan Moore Jr. spoke to veteran Ramon Foster, and the hangouts returned. They’re even doing more than simply hanging out at someone’s house, as Moore Jr. told Teresa Varley of Steelers.com of their camaraderie.
“We were trying to make an effort to just hang out outside of the locker room, do stuff together, get to know one another, get to know each other’s backgrounds and families,” stated Moore. “Do something as a group. Going out to eat. Having fun. Going to Top Golf or something similar.”
If Top Golf is the secret to success, that ain’t a bad recipe. If it helps the Steelers continue to improve along the offensive line, maybe Kenny Pickett or the Pittsburgh ownership group can pick up the tab next time, as well.
Todd McShay Updates Selection for Pittsburgh Steelers in New Mock Draft Following 2023 NFL Combine
The Pittsburgh Steelers are going through the NFL Draft process with their quarterback already in tow. With Kenny Pickett presumably cemented as the QB1, that opens the door for Pittsburgh to bolster its roster in other areas — and ESPN’s Todd McShay predicted the Steelers make a splash on defense.
McShay released his latest mock draft Tuesday morning and projected Pittsburgh to select former Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes with the No. 17 overall pick. He’d be quite the addition to the Steelers’ secondary, especially considering his strong performance at the NFL scouting combine. That’s why McShay made the case for Pittsburgh to take him if he’s on the board.
“Forbes is flying up my board just like he flew in the 40-yard dash on Friday night, posting a 4.35,” McShay wrote. “He has great ball production, picking off 14 passes and breaking up 18 more over three seasons. That fits with the Steelers, who led the league with 20 interceptions last season but could lose Cameron Sutton to free agency. Forbes also measured in at 6-1 and 166 pounds at the combine. Yes, 166 pounds. That might scare some teams off in Round 1, but they shouldn’t discount the high-level instincts and body control that we see on tape.”
Outsider’s Nick Schultz contributed to this article.