The Pittsburgh Steelers have taken yet another blow to their offensive line following the Week 4 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, as right guard James Daniels is reportedly out for the season.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Daniels suffered a torn Achilles in the loss to the Colts on Sunday and is out for the season. Daniels is the second starter Pittsburgh has lost to a major injury, as rookie right tackle Troy Fautanu is expected to miss at least the rest of the regular season.
The Steelers are also dealing with an injury at left guard, with Isaac Seumalo having missed the first four games of the campaign due to a pectoral injury. Seumalo is on the comeback trail, though, as he returned to practice last week.
#Steelers starting guard James Daniels suffered an Achilles tear Sunday against Indy, per source. He will be out for the season. Tough blow for a steady starter up front.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 30, 2024
This is obviously a devastating blow to a Steelers offensive line that already has some issues, both in run-blocking and pass protection. Daniels was one of the line's best and his loss will be incredibly difficult to overcome.
Assuming Seumalo doesn't return in Week 5, the Steelers will likely roll with a combo of Mason McCormick and Spencer Anderson at the guard spots. Anderson was benched in favor of McCormick in Week 4, but Anderson made his way into the game at right guard once Daniels got hurt.
While both were serviceable in pass protection, they did not offer much of a boost to the run game, where Daniels has been particularly good this season.
The Steelers could bring in some outside help in the wake of Daniels' injury, but chances are that help won't be anything better than what the team currently has on the roster.
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