The Pittsburgh Steelers selected offensive tackle Max Iheanachor in the first round of this year’s draft, but there is no rush to enter him into the starting lineup. With a handful of other options at the tackle position, Pittsburgh has the luxury of waiting until Iheanachor is truly ready to step into a starting role.
Though some view Iheanachor as somewhat of a project, former Steelers offensive lineman Trai Essex believes that narrative is overblown.
“I think he’s a star in the making,” Essex said on his Snap Count podcast this week. “He is a little raw, but I don’t think he’s that raw. I think he’s actually a little more polished than Broderick [Jones] was when he came out, especially at the right tackle position.”
The Steelers have shown patience in the past with their first-round tackles. As a rookie, Broderick Jones didn’t make his first start until an injury forced Dan Moore out of the lineup. After dealing with a preseason injury, Troy Fautanu also sat out week one of his rookie season before receiving playing time in Week 2. This season, Pittsburgh has the depth to do the same with Iheanachor if they think it’s in his best long-term interest.
Essex reiterated that he believes Fautanu will be moved to left tackle, and the right tackle position will come down to a battle between Iheanachor and Dylan Cook.
“I think this battle comes down to Dylan Cook and how fast Max Iheanachor picks up the playbook,” Essex continued. “I don’t think physically he’s going to have an issue. It’s the playbook, and how quickly he can absorb the adjustments, the audibles, and the cadence from Aaron Rodgers that’s going to determine how fast he gets put into that starting lineup.”
For a player who has only been playing football for five years, Iheanachor’s physical development is certainly impressive, but learning an NFL offense is hard for any rookie, so the mental side of the game may take time to develop. Essex believes that if Cook is playing at a high enough level, Iheanachor could receive a redshirt season as a rookie.
Last year, Cook stepped in for an injured Jones at left tackle due to injury and never looked back. His strong play in his first NFL starts gave many confidence that he has a legitimate shot at being a starter this season. Jones’s neck injury is another variable thrown into the mix, leaving more questions than answers at this point.
While Iheanachor has made a strong early impression on his coaches and teammates, much will be learned in training camp and the preseason. Rookies often have to earn their stripes, and nothing will be handed to Iheanachor just because of his draft status. The long-term development of Iheanachor is what is most important, but if he has demonstrated that he can play at a high level right away, there’s no reason he can’t be a week-one starter.