The Steelers offensive line underwent a lot of changes this offseason, including the departure of starting left tackle Alejandro Villanueva as a free agent.
Pittsburgh didn’t sign a veteran to replace him and they didn’t draft a tackle until the fourth round, which leaves Chukwuma Okorafor as the likely starter to begin the season. Okorafor started 15 games at right tackle after Zach Banner was injured last season, but feels confident he can handle the new position and said on Thursday that he won’t take a different approach than last season.
“I feel like there isn’t any more pressure,” Okorafor said, via Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “If it’s playing left tackle, left guard or center, it’s still having to block for [Ben Roethlisberger] and block for . . . whoever’s running the ball. If it’s left side, right side, center, it doesn’t matter to me. It’s moreso about having sure whoever is playing, it’s just having to block well.”
The Steelers will also have a new center and left guard to go with the returning Banner and right guard David DeCastro, so Okorafor isn’t the only player who will have to prove they can block well enough to get the Steelers offense where it wants to go this year.