An apparent favorite of the Steelers new OL coach, Trent Scott seeks role

Pat Meyer isn’t being followed. It just might seem that way.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-year offensive line coach spent the past two seasons with the Carolina Panthers, and he’d been with the Los Angeles Chargers for multiple years before that.

Those happen to be the previous two stops for the Steelers’ newest offensive lineman, Trent Scott: the past two seasons with the Panthers, multiple years with the Chargers before that.

It’s not a coincidence.

“I had that familiarity with him, and so I had an opportunity to come here so I came here,” Scott said during minicamp earlier this month. “I am pretty sure (Meyer encouraged the Steelers to reach out). I am excited. I am excited to get the ball rolling.”

A five-year veteran of 53 NFL games, Scott adds experience and depth to a young offensive line. The 28-year-old has started 19 games at three positions, including five at right guard last season.

Scott has been the primary starter at left tackle for two teams over a full season (2019 in Los Angeles, the next year for Carolina) and made a start at right tackle as an undrafted rookie for the Chargers in 2018.

“I can do it all,” Scott said, “but it’s just a matter of what they need or what they ask me to do.”

During organized team activities and minicamp, Scott confirmed he was repping primarily as the swing tackle, a backup to both sides to starters Chuks Okorafor and Dan Moore Jr. Veterans Joe Haeg and Chaz Green and undrafted rookies Jake Dixon and Jordan Tucker also are in the running for the gig.

After severing ties with three longtime starters in early 2021, the Steelers have drafted two offensive linemen in the top four rounds and signed three other potential starters as free agents. They did not, however, draft any offensive linemen this year. Interior linemen Mason Cole and James Daniels have been repping with the first team after being given multiyear contracts in March.

It wasn’t until May 15, though, that Scott signed with the Steelers — not much more than a week before OTAs started. That’s similar to what the Steelers did last year with another veteran offensive lineman who’d played for the Panthers and Chargers: They signed Trai Turner in June 2021.

For a team that started two rookies and a second-year player on the offensive line, Turner took on the role of sage veteran leader as he started all 17 games at right guard.

But Turner was not re-signed — he has since joined the Washington Commanders. Scott is willing to take on Turner’s former role on a still-young unit.

“Definitely want to do that,” Scott said. “I’m going on my fifth year, so I’ve gotten to play a little, but I have seen a lot of stuff on the field and can see a lot of stuff on the field (as it happens) or before it’s going to happen, and hopefully I can bring some of that experience to the young guys.

“And I try to do that now, I try to just try to pull (aside) some of the young guys, especially the rookies. I was an undrafted rookie so I know that journey, so I try to… help them out.”

Scott’s intangibles and leadership abilities might be of help to the Steelers. Of course, strong play on the field would be even better. And in 2021, Pro Football Focus graded Scott as the fourth-worst of the NFL’s 88 guards who played 300 offensive snaps. He graded as second worst in pass blocking and eighth worst in the running game.

“I’m just trying to help this group, every one of us, get better every single day,” Scott said. “It’s still a pretty young group, so I am willing and able to do anything I can. We’re all just trying to keep the same tradition of what is definitely a winning program around here.”

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