Winner of Steelers right tackle sweepstakes might not be known until season begins

Chuks Okorafor and Zach Banner continue to duke it out to see who will be the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starter at right tackle in 2020. And with no preseason games, it might be difficult to ascertain who is the winner any time soon.

In fact, the competition could go all the way down to the days leading up to the Steelers’ scheduled opener Sept. 14 at the New York Giants.

“The evaluation has to be fast,” Steelers offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett said Friday, “but I’m not in a hurry about it. It’s going to be a deal where I am going to let them compete all the way up even into the week of practice (prior to the regular-season opener). I’m not going to make any snap decision right now, or kind of be forced into it.”

Matt Feiler has been working exclusively at LG, Mike Tomlin said today on a Zoom call. Chuks Okorafor and Zach Banner have rotated at right tackle.

— Joe Rutter (@tribjoerutter) August 13, 2020

Banner is entering his fourth NFL season — his third with the Steelers — and Okorafor is beginning Year 3 since being a third-round pick in 2018. The two are vying to replace Matt Feiler as the starter at right tackle after Feiler was moved to left guard following the retirement of Ramon Foster.

Coach Mike Tomlin reinforced Sarrett’s assertion that the Steelers are in no hurry to decide between Banner and Okorafor. Tomlin previously has said they will split reps during camp practices.

“We will go until we get definitive clarity,” Tomlin said. “We’ve got two really good, capable men there, guys who are not new to us or new to the challenge. We’re excited about watching those guys sort themselves out, and we’re looking for as many ways as we can to create an atmosphere where they can definitively separate themselves.

“When we get to that spot, we will know it.”

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