/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/34626527/20140105_jla_al8_044.0.jpg)
The pieces of the puzzle are there along the Steelers' offensive line, but whether this team is able to put the puzzle together is a completely different story.
After spring workouts have come to a close, it is clear the team's intentions in terms of position stability along the line. Kelvin Beachum has seemingly locked down the left tackle position, Marcus Gilbert anchoring the right tackle, and everyone in between is pretty much the usual suspects. Ramon Foster at left guard, Maurkice Pouncey at center and David DeCastro at right guard. Take a look at the line from left to right and you'll see a two sided monster.
Left tackle Kelvin Beachum was drafted in the 7th round and Ramon Foster was an undrafted free agent, while the right side of the line were all top draft picks, either 1st or 2nd round selections.
As Ramon Foster told Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette there is a difference between the two sides of the offensive line.
"We are the non-pedigree side,'' "That's the pedigree side and we're the hard-working side. There's a lot of stuff we joke about. We always say that the screens go to their side, but the protection, he [Ben Roethlisberger] can trust us on the left side. It's in good fun."
Although the two sides of the line are far from the same pedigree, the unit needs to begin to gel as one, and Mike Munchak seems to be the glue to keep things from falling apart. Throughout spring practices, players have been glowing over the new offensive line coach and his ability to focus on fundamentals and "little things" that will make this unit the best in nearly a decade.
Munchak himself has been impressed by the work ethic and "coachability" of the players along the line, whether they were drafted in the first round, or not drafted at all.
When all is said and done, all the skill players in the world won't be able to do much without a solid offensive line, and this two-sided line looks to be moving in the right direction.