Steelers' Mike McCarthy Is "Confident" In The Offensive Line, But Insists Pittsburgh Will Add To The Trenches In 2026 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into the 2026 NFL Draft with the most draft picks of any team, and despite there being no clear must-target position early in the draft, there are still several needs throughout the roster that will need attention at some point that will make having 12 total picks incredibly helpful. Steeler Nation definitely has a lot to look forward to with five picks currently scheduled in the first two days, but those picks are unlikely to remain unchanged by the end of Day 2.

In recent years, there has been a clear emphasis by the Steelers' front office to ensure two position groups were in good shape by investing high draft capital year after year. Those would be the offensive and defensive lines, as 50% of the Steelers' draft picks on the first two days of the last three NFL Drafts have been spent either on offensive or defensive linemen. 

While the heavy investment in the trenches on both sides of the ball has yielded some positive returns from individual players, it doesn't appear the investment in those positions is going to cease this year. 

During their pre-draft press conference, both Head Coach Mike McCarthy and General Manager Omar Khan were asked questions about the team and their strategy heading into the draft. McCarthy was specifically asked about his thoughts on the current offensive line and if he thought an early investment would be needed at those positions. 

"I would say confident would be the word I would use to describe our offensive line room..." McCarthy said. "We have an excellent group of veterans, we got some young guys in there that are going to be good players for quite some time. I really like the way that blends together. I think clearly O-Line and D-Line is something you have to always try to add to."

Despite the significant investments recently, McCarthy's comments do lead one to believe that they aren't done spending significant draft capital on those positions, and might never be done as they continue to reinvest. 

There are some holes that have been identified throughout the offseason in those position groups. The biggest was the hole left by Isaac Seumalo leaving this offseason in free agency, which left a hole at left guard. That paired with needing more depth and playmakers along the defensive line will make a continued investment there welcomed by many. 

Whether or not the Steelers decide to use their first overall pick on a lineman on either side of the ball, McCarthy's comments really shouldn't surprise anyone given the wealth of picks the team currently has. When they decide to pull the trigger on improving those positions is really the only question remaining. 

Steelers May Have Last Minute Draft Strategy Change With Offensive Line Injury Update

Plans heading into a draft are always going to be fluid depending on how free agency works out, how players continue to develop, and how the draft board plays out in front of you. However, injuries and uncertainty around a player's recovery are something every NFL team is hoping to avoid having to play guess work with this time of year. 

Unfortunately, the Steelers may be playing the guessing game with the availability of 2023 first-round pick, offensive tackle Broderick Jones. 

Jones missed the back end of the 2025 season with a neck injury that didn't have a lot of clarity around his recovery timeline, but there were some assumptions he would be ready for the 2026 NFL season. However, it was recently reported that Jones suffered a setback in his recovery and now his availability for the 2026 season may be in doubt. 

Should Jones be unavailable for the 2026 NFL season, offensive tackle Dylan Cook is the next man up. Cook filled in very well after Jones went down last season and earned high praise from many Steelers fans, but a high draft pick would still likely be spent on the position if Jones' outlook remains unclear. With Cook on a one-year deal, having an incredibly small sample size, and already being 28 years old, it is unlikely that the team would hand him the starting role without some quality competition. 

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