They've started to break up the band. With Ramon Foster's retirement in the offseason, the core of the Steelers' offensive line, which had been together with only subtle changes for the better part of past five years, is undergoing a bit of a drastic change.
Right tackle Matt Feiler is kicking inside to left guard to replace Foster, a full-time starter since 2010, and there will be an open battle in training camp between Chuks Okorafor and Zach Banner to fill his job at right tackle.
But the remaining core players -- left tackle Alejandro Villanueva, center Maurkice Pouncey and right guard David DeCastro -- all return and are looking to put the stench of last season's sub-par season behind them.
Playing without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for much of the season, the Steelers plummeted in the league's offensive rankings, going from being a top-10 unit for the better part of the past decade, to one of the worst in the league.
Getting Roethlisberger back this season after elbow surgery gives the offensive line -- considered the bedrock of the team -- plenty of hope. And there's a renewed confidence.
"I think the thing with Ben is not that he isn't a talented player in his own right, it's what he does for the people around him. He has the ability to make you play better because he expects it," DeCastro said Monday as the Steelers began the second full week of their training camp at Heinz Field.
"True leaders aren't just good players, you have to have that ability. But they demand you play your best when they're out there. You fall in line. He has that presence in the huddle. The more I've been around him over the years, he has that. We're all enjoying it. We're getting old. It might be Al's last year. Pouncey and I are getting old, too. Who knows what is going to happen? We're just trying to enjoy it as much as we can."
DeCastro, Pouncey and Villanueva are all 30 or older, with Villanueva now 32 and heading into the final year of his current contract. There's a chance the group will undergo further changes in 2021. That's why this season is so important to them and the Steelers as a whole.
The Steelers were one of just three teams in the NFL that didn't have a single player decide to opt-out of playing due to concerns of the coronavirus pandemic.
Perhaps that is because it's a veteran team that knows because of various issues the past two seasons, it hasn't made the playoffs. And time is running out to do it together as a group.
"I'm not ready to be done quite yet. I'm getting there, but I still enjoy it. The group is kind of fading away," DeCastro said. "You always ask every year, 'Do you guys appreciate what you have on the offensive line?' We really have. There's light coming at the end of the tunnel, but ..."
DeCastro didn't finish that sentence. He didn't have to.
The veteran, who has been named to multiple Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams, knows 2019 wasn't a positive season for the offense. Without Roethlisberger, opposing teams stacked the box and made it nearly impossible for the Steelers to run the ball with Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges at quarterback.
The Steelers kept things together for a time, getting to 8-5, but scored just 10 points in each of their final three games, finishing at 8-8.
"Last year sucked. I've kind of forgotten about it. It was not fun to play as an offensive guy," DeCastro said. "It was pretty terrible. Things kind of snowballed. It was a pretty tough year. It falls on everybody. You can't lose that confidence. We've got to be better. We've got to have a better attitude this year and stay healthy.
"You can't have a good running game without a good passing game. It has to be an honest, balanced offense. Teams can stack the box and bring the safety down if you can't throw over the top. If you can't keep them honest, it's easy to stop the run. We weren't good at all. It wasn't just the running game, it was overall not being good."
With not being good comes change. And the Steelers are experiencing some of that. Feiler, formerly the top backup across the line who has largely been the starter at right tackle the previous two seasons will move inside to replace Foster, opening the door for Banner or Okorafor to start.
But they've all been with the team.
"I'm excited for the competition. I know both guys are really hungry," DeCastro said. "It's going to be a tough battle. I see Matt as pretty veteran. He's played all around. He's bounced around. I'm going to miss him at right tackle. I had a good time playing with him last year, but it's obviously best for the group for him to be at left guard. It's a good choice. I think he'll be pretty solid. He's a tremendous player. He's in great shape. He looks even more stocky and anchorish than before. He's ready to go."
As are the Steelers, despite there not being any preseason games this year. In fact, DeCastro believes that will help this team.
"I think it will be a positive for us because we're a veteran team," he said "Training camp and all those preseason games are for younger guys. I don't think it takes very much for us to get in shape as a veteran group. The older you get, the less it takes because you don't need the pounding on your body. I think it bodes well for us offensive and defensive wise. I'm actually excited about that."
The Steelers will open the regular season Sept. 14 against the Giants at MetLife Stadium. That will mark the return of Roethlisberger to the lineup.
Getting a 38-year-old quarterback back in the lineup might not normally be celebrated. But that veteran offensive line, coupled with youth at the skill positions, is looking forward to proving that it can still get the job done.
"We take pride in the offensive line. But it's a team effort. Yes, we are getting old, but I think we have some juice left in us," DeCastro said. "When you're not good as a whole, everyone is going to look bad. We had our share of the blame, that's for sure. You start to lose confidence a little bit and we were struggling. When a guy is getting paid a third of the salary cap, there's a reason why they get paid that much. Not trying to discredit Mason and Duck, but when you lose a player like that, it's tough."
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