LATROBE, Pa. -- Call it the battle that never was.
After the Steelers traded away former starting right tackle Marcus Gilbert in the offseason, Mike Tomlin made it sound as if there would be an open competition at the position between veteran Matt Feiler, second-year pro Chuks Okorafor and fourth-year pro Jerald Hawkins for the starting job in 2019.
But that competition has never really taken place here at Saint Vincent College. The job apparently belongs to Feiler, and has all along.
"Oh yeah. Matt proved himself last year," offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner told me.
Tomlin, it seems, was keeping that door open, allowing Okorafor and Hawkins hope that they could be in the mix for a starting spot. But it also served to keep Feiler on his toes, as well.
Not that the former undrafted rookie out of Division-II Bloomsburg needed that prodding. He's been hanging around with the Steelers since being released by the Texans in September of 2015. When you've spent time on practice squads and fighting not for a starting job, but just for a roster spot each year, you never really relax.
In fact, even when told of what Fichtner said, Feiler was happy but unfazed.
"I have never seen it that way," he told me. "Chuks, Hawk and (Zach) Banner, they’re all pushing me for that spot. It’s good competition and they’re all good guys."
When you've been through what Feiler has to make it to this point in his career, you never relax or take something for granted.
"I think so," Feiler said. "I wasn’t handed anything. I just have to keep working hard and getting better."
That doesn't mean the Steelers are intent to allow Okorafor, a 2018 third-round pick, to rot on their bench. In fact, when Tomlin gives one of the starting offensive linemen a day off, it's the perfect opportunity to get Okorafor some first-team snaps while also giving Feiler some work at guard.
To continue reading, log into your account:
