Affable. Gregarious. Tackle-eligible. NFL starter?
That is the path that fourth-year offensive tackle Zach Banner is hoping to take as he enters year three with the Pittsburgh Steelers graduating from weekly inactive in 2018 to backup and tackle-eligible last season, logging over 200 snaps.
Fresh off of signing a new one-year, $1.75 million contract, there is a realistic chance that Banner does now get the opportunity to start following the retirement of Ramon Foster and the departure of B.J. Finney in free agency.
With both of the Steelers’ top two left guards gone, that opens the door for the team to move right tackle Matt Feiler, who is eminently guard-capable, inside, where he started against Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams last season.