Following the season-ending knee injury that starting left tackle Kelvin Beachum suffered yesterday, the Pittsburgh Steelers are left in dire straits along the offensive line, with their depth at the tackle position completely decimated.
The Steelers entered the season with just eight linemen on the roster, and only three of them were tackles. Now that third swing tackle, first-year 27-year-old Alejandro Villanueva, is the starting left tackle, and there is no true backup on the 53-man roster.
As much as Villanueva’s backstory and potential offers intrigue, the fact of the matter is that he is potentially over his head, and facing a dynamic pass-rushing duo in his first career start next week will be no help.