Following a humbling 20-3 loss to the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves at a crucial crossroads along their offensive line. At the center of the debate is right tackle Dylan Cook, whose recent struggles have raised serious questions about whether first-round rookie Max Iheanachor should take over starting duties.
Cook, an undrafted success story who earned valuable backup snaps last season, was exposed during Sunday’s loss. While Cook served as a dependable reserve in the past, his limitations as an every-down anchor were laid bare as New England routinely collapsed the pocket on Aaron Rodgers and stymied running backs Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle.
As “Locked on Steelers” host Christopher Carter highlighted, Cook’s
ceiling has always been clear to internal evaluators.
“Dylan Cook, I said people asked me all offseason, why do you think that Dylan Cook shouldn't win the starting job? I was like, this is why,” Carter explained. “He did a really good job filling in last year, but I saw this coming. He ain't ready to be a starter. He's a nice swing tackle, backup guy, and that's fine.”
That reality makes Pittsburgh’s reluctance to insert Iheanachor, the 21st overall selection in the 2026 draft out of Arizona State, increasingly difficult to justify. While the coaching staff may harbor concerns about throwing a raw rookie into the fire, keeping high-upside talent on the bench during a struggling offensive stretch offers diminishing returns.
“That's why they drafted Max Iheanachor in the first round,” Carter emphasized. “I'm not sure that Dylan Cook has done anything to justify not giving Max Iheanachor those starts. Unless you're scared that Max Iheanachor is going to be even worse and this could mess up his development by putting him in too early. But I don't know how much worse it could be.”
With a division clash looming, sticking with a plateaued backup over a first-round investment may no longer be a viable strategy.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Is it time for the Steelers to bench Dylan Cook for Max Iheanachor?
