The Steelers placed rookie guard Gennings Dunker on injured reserve Saturday. Per Tom Pelissero, Dunker sprained his MCL when he got rolled up on at practice Thursday. He won't need surgery but is expected to miss four to six weeks. The third-round pick hadn't played a snap yet, but he may have been the next man up at guard, and the timing couldn't be worse.

A Line That Can't Get Out of Its Own Way

In the Week 2 loss to New England, Aaron Rodgers was sacked four times and fumbled twice, and the Patriots returned one of those fumbles for a touchdown. The run game ranks 29th at 74.5 yards per game, and backs are getting hit at the line before they can do anything. Starting right guard Spencer Anderson reportedly broke a bone in his lower right leg against the Patriots.

Shuffle or Stay the Course?

Sunday against the Bengals will show whether Mike McCarthy sticks with his current guys or starts moving pieces. Practice hinted at change. According to The Athletic's Mike DeFabo, Hoffman worked next to Zach Frazier and alongside first-round pick Max Iheanachor.

The Versatility Experiment Backfired

Here's my problem. All offseason, McCarthy preached positional versatility and shuffled linemen constantly through OTAs and training camp. Now he's singing a different tune. On Monday, he admitted the line rarely practiced with the same five: "No excuses, but they need continuity. They need reps, they need consistency."

Credit to him for owning it, but that's an admission the summer plan was a mistake. You can't build chemistry up front in a few September practices. That work needed to happen in August.

Who Is Mekhi Becton?

Do the Steelers look at free agency or a trade? One name is still out there: Mekhi Becton. At 6-foot-7 and 363 pounds, Becton went 11th overall to the Jets out of Louisville in 2020. Knee injuries derailed his time in New York, limiting him to one game in 2021 and wiping out all of 2022.

He turned it around in Philadelphia in 2024, moving to right guard and helping pave the way for Saquon Barkley's 2,000-yard season on the way to a Super Bowl title. That earned him a two-year, $20 million deal with the Chargers, but he struggled through injuries there and was released in March.

He's not a sure thing. But he's a veteran with starting experience at guard and a ring, and right now Pittsburgh's fallback is a practice squad call-up.

The Bottom Line

Whether it's Becton, a trade, or riding it out, the Steelers have plenty to figure out up front, and Dunker's injury only makes it harder. Until this group finds five guys who can line up together and play consistent football, the offense is going to keep sputtering.