An NFL team’s offensive line is supposed to be a barrier, all right. A bulwark to protect the quarterback and a bulldozer to open lanes for the running game. But last year, the Steelers’ running game ground to a halt and Big Ben Roethlisberger was rushed into releasing his flurry of pop-gun short passes in mere nanoseconds. Much of it was because the one-time Steelers’ strong suit of its veteran offensive line had fallen into precipitous decline in Pittsburgh. This sad state of Steelers affairs stood in stark contrast to the glory days when Big Ben had plenty of All-Pros upfront. The line took care of him, and Ben lavished his linemen with high praise, plenty of steak dinners, and some pretty expensive gifts over the years. When Maurkice Pouncey’s first snap of the Browns’ playoff game sailed over Big Ben’s head, we all knew changes were coming. But did the Steelers really have to change everything, trying to install virtually a whole new offensive line on the fly in a single offseason? The patchwork of protection and run-blocking now stands as the Steelers’ biggest barrier to 2021 success.

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