At one point, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Spencer Anderson all but had the right guard job secured. Then the coaching staff gave Brock Hoffman first-team looks in practice.
Finally, Anderson reclaimed the first-team snaps in the Steelers’ second preseason game. Now, it appears he has all but secured the job once again. At least in the eyes of one former Steelers Super Bowl champion.
Trai Essex believes Spencer Anderson has solidified his spot as the starting right guard heading into Thursday night’s preseason finale. He discussed Anderson’s work throughout the preseason on The Snap Count, highlighting that Anderson hasn’t found himself in many losing situations at the line of scrimmage. Essex also believes this could be Anderson’s breakout season.
“Good to see Spencer Anderson at right guard. I think he has solidified his spot as a starting right guard for this team. Mainly because you don’t hear his number. You don’t hear his name being called. That means he is doing his job. I’m rooting for him. I think he’s gonna have a really good year.” Essex said.
Anderson has the RG job locked up?
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The Steelers have given Hoffman some first-team opportunities recently, which created some intrigue in the competition. However, Anderson has remained the favorite to win the job and received the first-team reps in last Friday’s preseason game against the New York Jets.
More importantly, Anderson has held the starting spot for most of the offseason dating back to May. While Hoffman’s first-team opportunities suggest the Steelers wanted to give him a legitimate chance to compete, Anderson has done enough to remain in control of the position.
Thursday night could provide one final opportunity for both players to make their case, but based on how the competition has played out, Anderson appears to have the inside track. If he continues to avoid major mistakes, there may not be much left to decide.
Steelers’ first-team offensive line needs extended snaps in preseason finale
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If Anderson has indeed secured the starting job, the Steelers still have another issue to address Thursday night. The first-team offensive line needs to see the field for more than a handful of snaps.
The unit has been inconsistent throughout the preseason, particularly in pass protection, and the Steelers need to build some cohesion before the regular season arrives. With several starters potentially playing together for the first time in an extended stretch, giving the group at least one quarter of work makes sense.
Ideally, Mike McCarthy could let the starting offensive line play two quarters. The Steelers don’t need to expose their starters to unnecessary injury risk, but they also need to give the unit enough live-game experience to work through its issues.
Anderson may be close to having his position settled. Now, the Steelers need the entire offensive line to find some stability.
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