Aug 22, 2017 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – When the Steelers arrived at training camp last month, it was all but assured they would keep eight offensive linemen and everyone knew who would be on the list.

With the starting five back intact, and experienced backups in Chris Hubbard and B.J. Finney and tackle Jerald Hawkins, a fourth-round draft pick last year, all healthy, there wasn’t supposed to be any open spots on the 53-man roster.

But Hawkins, who looked good last season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, struggled at times in training camp, perhaps leaving the door open for someone else to earn a spot. Matt Feiler, all 6-6 and 330 pounds of him, might have squeezed through that crack.

Feiler, a former Bloomsburg University star, started at left guard in place of Ramon Foster in the Steelers’ 17-13 preseason win over Atlanta Sunday night, playing well into the fourth quarter. He wound up playing both guard spots.

Only running back James Conner, a third-round pick the Steelers wanted to get a good look at after he had missed nearly all the offseason and training camp because of injuries, got more playing time among offensive players.

“I thought I was going to be getting a lot of reps,” said Feiler. “I was prepared for it. It was a good feeling.”

Feiler originally signed with the Houston Texans in 2014 after a standout career at Bloomsburg, where he was named to the AP Little-All America team in 2013.

He spent his first season on Houston’s practice squad but was released at the end of training camp in 2015. That’s when the Steelers brought the Strasburg native back to Pennsylvania.

Feiler was signed to Pittsburgh’s practice squad last season and spent one game on the active roster, activated for an Oct. 9 game against the Jets, though he did not play.

On some teams, being an undrafted player might be an issue, especially when competing for a roster spot with a player the team drafted.

But Feiler need look no further than the player he replaced in the starting lineup against the Falcons to see the Steelers won’t play favorites with their draft picks.

In 2009, the Steelers kept Foster on their 53-man roster over 2008 fourth-round draft pick Tony Hills.

“My second year, they ended up cutting a guy who was a fourth-round pick, not because of him, but because of me,” said Foster, a full-time starter since 2010. “They had more interest in me.”

And Foster isn’t the only undrafted player to stick on the roster and become a major contributor. That has especially been the case on the offensive line. Starting left tackle Alejandro Villanueva came into the NFL as an undrafted player and spent time on the Steelers’ practice squad. So did Hubbard and Finney.

“They’re undrafted guys. They are practice squad guys who worked their way up the ranks like Al and Ramon,” offensive line coach Mike Munchak said. “You’re going to have some first rounders, but you have to find other guys. You’d love to have all first-round picks, but that’s not realistic.”

Feiler has a couple more weeks to show he can be the next in that lineage.

He showed he can be a factor in the run game against the Falcons, blowing open some nice holes for running backs Conner and Fitzgerald Toussaint.

The pass blocking part of his game still needs the most work. But it’s work he continues to put in. And the Steelers have taken notice, moving him to guard, where he can use his size and strength, much like Foster did, on a more consistent basis.

“I take pride in my run-game blocking abilities,” Feiler admitted. “Not that I don’t in all of my game, but I take a lot of pride in my run blocking.

“I’ve been getting work at guard since I came into the league. My rookie year, I was getting more work at tackle than guard. Once I came to Pittsburgh, it was half and half. Now, it’s more guard than tackle.”

The Steelers will return to practice today at the UPMC-Rooney Sports Complex after being off Tuesday. … The Steelers will get just two days of practice, Wednesday and Thursday, before hosting the Indianapolis Colts Saturday in their third preseason game. … Through two preseason games, inside linebacker L.J. Fort leads the Steelers with 12 tackles. T.J. Watt is second with nine.