The Pittsburgh Steelers are a team that has invested a ton in the trenches over the last several years through the NFL Draft. In three of the last four drafts, the organization has selected a tackle in the first round, with other premier picks being spent on the interior of the offensive line. Despite all of the recent investments in the unit, Pittsburgh still has some major question marks up front, especially on the left side. There is a void at left guard as well as left tackle due to Broderick Jones' injury status after suffering a scary neck setback during the 2026 season.
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Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones (#77) walks on the field at St. Vincent College as the team practices during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Due to Jones' health, Pittsburgh spent the 21st overall pick in 2026 on offensive tackle Max Iheanachor. He is considered a raw talent as he has only really played football for five seasons, but there is high hope for him entering the NFL. Pittsburgh also drafted Gennings Dunker out of Iowa, who is a bit of an in-betweener when it comes to being a guard or a tackle. He was drafted as a guard by the Steelers, and he has already become a fan favorite due to his background and his bright red mullet. He comes from a blue-collar background and has the perfect character to play football in Pittsburgh.
Fans may like Dunker now, but there is no guarantee that he will be the team's starting left guard as a third-round pick. Former offensive lineman Trai Essex spoke about the rookie during a recent appearance on 93.7 The Fan.
"I think he's gonna have a tougher road," Essex said. "There's a lot of great things I like about Gennings Dunker, mostly his attitude and how he runs to the ball. Now, there are some things in pass pro that I think he's gonna have a harder time adjusting to, especially at guard, especially in the AFC North. He plays high. I think once he gets into the lab and Campen has a chance to work with him on his deficiencies, he'll be better."
Dunker is going to compete for the left guard job in Pittsburgh, and the new offensive line coach James Campen is going to work on developing him. Campen has 21 years of experience, so hopefully some good progress can be made with Dunker throughout training camp.
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Steelers' offensive lineman Gennings Dunker during his time in Iowa before a home game.
Others that will competing for the left guard spot include Spencer Anderson, Brock Hoffman, and even Dylan Cook. Cook is known mostly for his work as a left tackle, but he has played guard before and was even worked out there during his time with the Steelers. It is a decent amount of competition for the starting job, which will make the path towards starting much more difficult for Dunker than it is currently for Iheanachor.
As a third-round pick, there is no pressure on the organization to start Dunker right away. The franchise should not want to ruin his confidence. Until the coaching staff is confident that the deficiencies mentioned by Essex are no longer an issue, one of the more experienced veterans should be starting at left guard.
Steelers Have To Consider Experience On The Offensive Line As A Whole
There is a good chance that there will be some point during the 2026 season where the Steelers are starting both Iheanachor and Dunker. That would mean two rookies starting next to one another on the offensive line, which can be challenging at times.
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Steelers' Max Iheanachor on stage during the third day of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Having a great center like Zach Frazier will certainly help with that, but it is something that could create some hesitation from the coaching staff when it comes to inserting either player into the starting lineup.
What do you think about the potential of Dunker as a guard? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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