LATROBE, Pa. -- Mike Munchak gave Mike Adams solid marks for his play in the Steelers’ first preseason game but also acknowledged that the third-year offensive tackle is in a different battle than had been expected when training camp opened.
Adams has been playing left and right tackle in camp and is vying with Guy Whimper for the job of No. 3 tackle with Kelvin Beachum and Marcus Gilbert entrenched as the starters.
“They’re obviously competing for the swing spot right now right now with the two (starting tackles) playing as well as they are right now,” said Munchak, the Steelers’ first-year offensive line coach. “We’ll just kind of see what happens.”
The question moving forward is whether the two are battling for a roster spot after Adams entered camp hoping to challenge Beachum or Gilbert for a starting job.
Munchak will lobby for the Steelers to keep nine offensive linemen on their 53-man roster, but they might only go with eight as they did last season. Given some of the other positions where the Steelers are deep, such as inside linebacker, they might keep an extra player there rather than at offensive line, where the five starters are already set, barring injury.
Cody Wallace is probably a lock for one of the three guaranteed reserve spots up front as the swing interior lineman. And rookie Wesley Johnson probably makes the 53-man roster if the the fifth-round draft pick plays well in the final three preseason games because of his versatility and standing as a player the Steelers can develop.
If that leaves Adams and Whimper battling for a final spot, Adams clearly has the edge even though he has struggled in camp. The 6-7, 323-pounder simply has too much potential, and the Steelers aren’t going to give up on a second-round draft pick after just two seasons unless Whimper clearly outplays him.
That didn’t happen in the Steelers’ 20-16 loss to the New York Giants last Saturday night.
Both played extensively with Adams logging a team-high 51 snaps and Whimper playing 43 snaps. Adams received high marks from Pro Football Focus and Munchak said he did well after some early technique issues.
“The more he played the better he played,” Munchak said of Adams. “I thought it was a good, solid start for him. He’ll continue to get better at what we’re doing.”
