Player: OT Dylan Cook
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: Despite the Steelers drafting a first-round tackle, the majority believe Dylan Cook is the favorite to be their Week 1 starter at right tackle. A former practice squad player, Cook has the chance to set himself up for a real career. If this season goes right and he can get enough quality tape out there, he might be a future starter…somewhere else.
It is absolutely imperative that Dylan Cook hold off Max Iheanachor this season. If he does, he has a chance to boost his resume for potential future employers. His cameo at left tackle at the end of last season probably opened some eyes, but a more extended look—and one at right tackle—would be important to him to his future.
Holding the 28-year-old Cook back is his age, of course. Everybody wants a younger starter, but he took a roundabout way to get where he is. And he also won’t be an unrestricted free agent until 2028, though if he establishes himself as a starting-quality tackle, some team might be tempted to sign him to an offer sheet as a restricted free agent next year. Depending on which restricted tender the Steelers give him.
Now, we’re getting ahead of ourselves at this point, which is what we tend to do when we see flashes. Dylan Cook really did play well for most of his time, albeit limited, on the field last season. And he did that at left tackle, coming in cold off the bench. Despite his background, he didn’t look out of place. But the former undrafted free agent has to do that more than once to be convincing.
The Steelers might not have drafted Max Iheanachor if they were more convinced, after all. They already have Troy Fautanu, which means, there will be no place for Dylan Cook to start once Pittsburgh has both of its first-round tackles on the field. Unless it was to kick him inside to guard at some point, which doesn’t seem likely.
Which goes back to the point of how incredibly important it is for Cook to win the starting right tackle job. And why it’s important that he seems to be in the driver’s seat, according to reporters. He spent the entire spring working with the starters, but the Steelers will give Iheanachor a fair chance to compete. And even if Iheanachor takes over the job at some point this season, that’s still more scouting tape for Cook.
With the 2026 offseason well underway and many moves made, we have stock to take. Already promising a year of change, the Steelers are shaking things up. That is unavoidable, of course, when you gut the coaching staff. Mike Tomlin’s resignation has fundamentally changed this football team, including the players on the roster.
After a long season, the Steelers showed the ability to win the division and make the playoffs. But they also showed that their progress was minimal, since they made it no further. Two years in a row, with two different quarterbacks, they went 10-7 and lost in the Wild Card Round. The only differences are they ended the season on a higher note and won the AFC North. But it didn’t help.