Zach Banner wins right tackle job, will start season opener for Steelers
Although he has one more year of NFL experience, Zack Banner entered training camp with fewer starts at right tackle compared to teammate Chuks Okorafor.
Banner, though, will be the starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers when they open the season Monday night at the New York Giants.
Coach Mike Tomlin confirmed the news after practice Wednesday with a one-sentence declaration: “Banner is the starter at right tackle.”
Both players were listed on the official depth chart that Tomlin released Monday.
Banner is entering his fourth NFL season and third with the Steelers. Okorafor was the team’s third-round draft pick in 2018. Banner entered training camp with zero career starts at right tackle; Okorafor had two.
Banner earned significant playing time last year, appearing in 14 games with one start. But all of his snaps came as an inline blocking tight end. When the Steelers switched right tackle Matt Feiler to guard against the Los Angeles Rams, Okorafor was the chosen replacement.
Okorafor also had a start at right tackle in 2018 against the Denver Broncos, but he also filled the blocking tight end role that season while Banner was inactive for every game. Okorafor presumably will be the extra blocking tight end this year in short-yardage situations.
Banner’s only significant NFL appearance at right tackle came Nov. 12, 2017 when he was a rookie with the Cleveland Browns. He played 24 snaps in a 38-24 loss to the Detroit Lions.
Banner might not be the only new face on the right side of the offensive line for the season opener. Tomlin offered little on the availability of right guard David DeCastro, who is dealing with a lower-body injury.
Veteran free agent signee Stefen Wisniewski would be in line to start if DeCastro can’t suit up against the Giants. The Steelers also drafted guard Kevin Dotson in the fourth round.
“No clarity as I sit here,” Tomlin said. “I am comfortable with the depth there, but obviously the inclusion of David DeCastro in game planning and play is significant.”
Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.
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