The Steelers' Starting Left Tackle For 2026 Just Got A Huge Wake-Up Call

A lot of the attention being geared toward the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line has focused on the left guard position. With veteran Isaac Seumalo deciding to leave in free agency, a hole was left and no one is quite sure who will be the team's starter come the 2026 regular season. That will soon be worked out, but another situation is emerging at the tackle spot on the same side. Broderick Jones suffered a rather serious neck injury in 2025, only to be replaced by Dylan Cook, who actually performed well throughout his several starts. There could be a legitimate competition come training camp.

The offense is expected to look much different with Mike McCarthy not just operating as the team's head coach, but play-caller on that side of the ball. It will be a big change for the Steelers, a franchise that has consistently had leaders with backgrounds on defense. This could lead to a significant upgrade for the entire offense as a whole, which brings the left tackle spot to light.

Sports Illustrated analysts Albert Breer and Conor Orr recently took some time to really dive deep into what is awaiting the Steelers in 2026. There are still questions at quarterback and with an aging defense; however, there are other areas that must be paid attention to. With the uncertainty surrounding Jones and some inexperience from Cook, whoever lines up on the left side is going to face some massive challenges.

"Here's the one thing that sticks out to me is guys like David Bakhtiari would say, 'I was on an island in McCarthy's offense for 60 snaps a game.' You know, if you're a left tackle, that means you are dropping back one-on-one against an elite edge rusher 60 times," Orr noted. "That is exhausting."

When players like Myles Garrett and Trey Hendrickson are roaming around in the AFC North division, being on an island is not exactly something that will be fun for whoever is the starting left tackle. Pittsburgh has had some success against both in the past, but that was due to heavily favoring that side of the line. Chips and double teams were often used to slow down these dynamic playmakers. Now, that could change with McCarthy in charge.

The Steelers could also design plays when game planning for top edge rushers that focus on going the opposite direction; however, that is easier said than done. Neither Jones or Cook has truly proven themselves to be elite when going up against edge rushers one-on-one. In fact, it could be a recipe for disaster moving forward. As fans await news regarding Jones' prognosis and return timeline, Cook might be in line for a heck of a wake-up call come the 2026 season.

Jones was taken back in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The franchise traded up a couple of spots to get him as there was a major need at the position. Unfortunately, the previous coaching staff only was able to get Jones over to his natural spot at left tackle in 2025. It took two years of him playing on the right for him to then get seriously injured in the middle of his third professional campaign. Regardless of who starts though, he may be in for a really rough showing early on.

Steelers Could Also Draft A Tackle At Some Point 

With a projected 12 overall selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh's front office will have the flexibility to take a chance on several offensive linemen. Picking up a guard and tackle is not out of the realm of possibility, but one thing remains certain: whoever gets the nod to protect the quarterback's blindside will have to have plenty of preparation and tons of focus if he is playing out on an island.

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