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The Pittsburgh Steelers are finally starting to put together a great offensive line again. After years of rebuilding the unit following the retirement of the stars from the 2010s such as Maurkice Pouncey, David Decastro, and others, things are starting to take a step forward. As a whole, there were a lot of positives to take away from 2025 season from the group, but some are in for some changes. There will be a lot to watch for to see if this group can stay as productive as the year before with some reshuffling.
One player that should help keep the production up is Zach Frazier. He was one of the premier pass blockers at center in 2025, only allowing one sack and he played over 1,000 snaps. While his game excelled on the pass front, he lagged behind in the run game. In terms of Pro Football Focus rankings, he was fifth among centers in pass blocking and 11th in run blocking.
Those are not bad by any means, but there is always room for growth. Growing into one of the top run blockers to go with his pass block ability could push him into the conversation of one of the best center's in the league.
While he did stand out and develop into a very strong player with the old coaching regime, the new coaches that have been hired with Mike McCarthy may help turn him into the elite center this team needs. Specifically with the hire of offensive line coach James Campen, this new coaching staff may be able to unlock better run blocking from Frazier, turning him into an even better center.
Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo spoke about this on 93.7 the Fan on Friday. He believes that adding Campen and Brian Angelichio will help further develop Frazier into the center that this time can depend on for years to come.
"The run-blocking was up and down," Fittapaldo stated. "I think that was moreso, and I’m not saying Zach is perfect, I just think that whole scheme under Arthur Smith and Pat Meyer, it left a lot to be desired. So I think in a different system, I think you’re gonna see Zach become a better run blocker as well."
While the previous coaching staff didn't take this team as far as fans would have liked to see, there's plenty of optimism that this new coaching staff can bring consistent winning back to Pittsburgh. They haven't won a playoff game since 2017, despite finishing above .500 every year and making plenty of playoff appearances.
The offensive line is a major factor in where this team can go in 2026. There are many questions that need answered before the season begins with the top being how will Troy Fautanu and Mason McCormick perform after moving to the left side of the line. How Frazier develops better run blocking is another close question that fans want to know as well.
Training camp is right around the corner and depending on what happens on these fronts will say a lot about where the Steelers go in 2026. The new coaching staff has a lot of critical areas to work on, yet this nucleus on this roster is very encouraging on paper.
Steelers' Zach Frazier Could Have Big Payday Looming
If this new coaching staff is able to unlock improved run blocking from Frazier, he will be the next star to get a big contract. Pittsburgh has always made a strong effort to keep homegrown talent within the organization and after drafting him a few years ago, the Steelers may want to keep him for a long time. Getting him into the top five on both pass and run blocking will justify making him a face of this offensive line for years to come.
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