How are those new right tackles looking for the Steelers?

Um, hard to say. They are going against outside linebacker T.J. Watt all the time in practice.

After an AFC-leading 14.5 sacks last year, Watt is providing baptism by fire for Chuks Okorafor and Zach Banner as they battle for a starting spot to replace Matt Feiler.

On Monday, Okorafor sat out practice. So head coach Mike Tomlin was asked how Banner handed the brunt of his battles with Watt.

“Yeah, [T.J.] Watt won a lot of them, but Watt won a lot of them versus Chuks as well,” Tomlin said. “What a great opportunity for those young right tackles vying for that spot. There’s no guesswork in terms of where they are in terms of overall global readiness.”

Well, it depends on how you look at that, I suppose.

If Banner and Okorafor handle themselves positively at all, then, yes. Using Watt as a baseline is a pretty good indicator that they may be able to fill that right tackle position against those who are less dominant.

If Watt is constantly dusting both, though, can the Steelers feel comfortable assuming that it’ll often be completely better against lesser opponents on other teams?

With no preseason games this year, it’s impossible to tell. But based on what Feiler is saying, there are no plans in place to move him back outside from his new home at left guard.

“I have full confidence in Chuks and Banner,” Feiler said last week. “They’re going to hold down the right tackle spot.”

Given the signing of former Kansas City Chiefs guard Stefen Wisniewski and the drafting of fourth-round pick Kevin Dotson, there is enough depth at guard to put Feiler back outside if needed.

One question is if Feiler changed his body so much to play guard, would he remain nimble enough to jump outside in a pinch if need be? Knowing that the position change was looming, fellow guard David DeCastro said that Feiler reported to camp more “stocky and Anchorish” (referring to Feiler’s nickname). However, Feiler insisted he “only put on a couple of pounds.” He added, “If it were to be called upon for me to go to right tackle, it wouldn’t be an issue.”

The decision to shift along the line is happening because left guard Ramon Foster retired. Since the Steelers appeared to get potential replacements for him, why move Feiler from right tackle in the first place? After all, in 2019 he had a very solid season there in his first full campaign as a starter.

It’s not the move I would’ve made. I would’ve let Feiler continue to blossom in a spot where he looked very comfortable and stick a capable veteran such as Wisniewski into the void at left guard.

Offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett said lost practice time due to the pandemic played a role in the decision making.

“The evaluation period kind of gets cut in half,” Sarrett said Friday. “I lost many practices where I could see guys. Maybe even Anchor at right (tackle), Dotson at left guard, and so forth. I had seen Anchor go in there and play guard in a game last year. I’ve seen Chuks play tackle. I’ve seen Banner play tackle. We went into this idea that we were going to have to evaluate fast.”

Sure. But they also saw Wisniewski play guard on two recent Super Bowl winners in Kansas City and Philadelphia. And they saw Feiler excel at tackle last year.

If the franchise is really of the opinion that — at their high-end potential — Okorafor or Banner starting at right tackle with Feiler moving to guard outweighs those options, it strikes me that one of the two players would’ve separated from the other at this point.

For his part, Watt has noticed the different attributes between the two new potential starters.

“Chuks is a little smaller, a little bit more of a finesse player, but he’s very well-improved with his hand-punching,” Watt said Tuesday. “I think Zach has done a good job all offseason of getting in shape and getting able to compete throughout the whole practice. I feel like he’s done well with his hand-punch as well.”

Maybe there’s something more at work here. Maybe this is about getting a longer look at both players to see if one can handle right tackle this year with the idea of potentially taking over for Alejandro Villanueva next year on the left side. Villanueva is a free agent in 2021.

Or maybe Feiler—who is also a fre agent after 2020 ends—extends his contact and goes back outside in 2021 to fill one spot while Banner or Okorafor absorb the other? Then Dotson or Wisniewski could grab the guard spot.

One thing I do know is that one of Tomlin’s favorite expressions is “stay light on your feet.” Meaning adapt to change.

For multiple reasons, let’s hope Feiler has done exactly that. Whether that means physically or mentally. Because I’m not quite so sure that the door has permanently shut on him going back to tackle in 2020.

I suppose that depends on how many opposing left-side edge rushers not named T.J. Watt look like T.J. Watt once the Steelers start playing real games.

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