Steelers’ Mason McCormick Far From A ‘Luxury’ Draft Pick One Month Into Rookie Season

Pittsburgh Steelers OL Mason McCormick has a chance to start 14 games this year if everything goes according to plan. Well, if everything goes according to Plan D, anyway. Plan A was Isaac Seumalo and James Daniels, with Plan B becoming Spencer Anderson filling in. Plan C saw McCormick pass Anderson as the primary backup, but with James Daniels done for the year, we are on to Plan D.

So much for Mason McCormick being a luxury draft pick. The Steelers drafted him with an eye toward free agency in 2025, with Daniels and Nate Herbig both scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency. They discussed drafting McCormick through that lens despite drafting linemen already in the first two rounds.

Well, he is now the third rookie lineman to start, although only two remain. C Zach Frazier has started since the season opener, T Troy Fautanu emerging in Week 2. Unfortunately, he lasted one game before suffering potentially a season-ending injury. With Daniels joining him, McCormick now has the chance to take over.

The Steelers began preparing for the future by resting Isaac Seumalo often in training camp. That allowed both Spencer Anderson and Mason McCormick to take plenty of quality first-team reps during that time. While they initially went with Anderson to fill in for the injured Seumalo, they changed their plan after two games.

By Week 3, the Steelers began rotating McCormick in with Anderson, and then he started in Week 4. While they planned to rotate Anderson in last week, Daniels’ season-ending injury on the opening drive forced them to pivot.

Despite their best efforts, the Steelers have had bad health luck on the offensive line. They have already lost two starters for the season in Daniels and Fautanu. Nate Herbig, who was competing to start at center, is also lost for the year. Reserve Dylan Cook is still working his way back, and Seumalo is only now due to return after four weeks.

It’s almost a wonder that Mason McCormick hadn’t had to play more already, given the Steelers’ misfortunes. But now he has the opportunity to cement his position as a starter. If he proves that he can handle the right guard job for the rest of this season, it will likely be his moving forward. That is unless they have some change of heart and decide to re-sign Daniels. Or if Daniels’ price tag takes such a hit that his market value plummets to affordability.

One thing is clear, though, and that is Mason McCormick has become far more than a luxury. Perhaps Spencer Anderson would do just fine as the starter at right guard. But we’re now in for a preview of a potential long-term solution for one starting job. The Steelers’ entire right side, from center to tackle, could be products of the 2024 draft class for some years.