The Pittsburgh Steelers had a scare during their preseason opener vs. the Houston Texans when first-round rookie OL Troy Fautanu left the contest with an apparent knee injury. Thankfully, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Fautanu only sustained a minor MCL sprain, which is not considered serious.
Fautanu has already been spotted wearing a knee brace. However, this injury is generally considered to be week-to-week. Fautanu should not miss much time during Steelers’ training camp.
The No. 20 overall draft pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, Fautanu is already penciled in as the starter at right tackle for the Steelers. Pittsburgh also spent a second-round pick addressing the offensive line by drafting C Zach Frazier out of West Virginia with the 51st overall pick.
Recent reports about Fautanu out of Steelers training camp are trending positive. The former Washington Huskies standout is taking the majority of first-team snaps.
Troy Fautanu’s injury setback & what he brings to the Steelers when healthy
For many seasons, the Steelers pieced together their offensive line. The arrival of Fautanu and Frazier should help the offense flourish after a few underwhelming seasons.
During the draft evaluation period, many considered Fautanu more of an athlete than a complete lineman. Fautanu already grades out as an above-average pass-blocking prospect with positive traits in a zone-blocking system.
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Despite being the sixth offensive tackle selected, Fautanu should hit the ground running in Pittsburgh. He was first-team All-Pac-12 in 2023 and won the Morris Trophy, awarded to the top Pac-12 offensive lineman.
If Fautanu misses any time, the Steelers will rely on Broderick Jones at right tackle and potentially shift Dan Moore Jr. to left tackle. Moore is battling Jones for the starting left tackle job.
Pittsburgh is fortunate to have a little more depth along the offensive line to protect Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. The Steelers have yet to set a timetable for Fautanu’s return or confirm if he will miss any training camp practice.
