UNITY TWP., Pa — The Steelers are getting to see just what they have in Breiden Fehoko. Coming over from the Chargers as a free agent this offseason, it feels like Fehoko is the forgotten man in the room of talented defensive linemen. But he probably should not be based on a skillset that makes him wholly unique to the room and not very expendable right from the outset of the roster-building process.
Fehoko is competing with guys like Montravius Adams, Armon Watts, Keeanu Benton, and Isaiahh Loudermilk for roster spots. But it should be noted that none have the elite space-eating ability that Fehoko brings to the table naturally. He is a strong player and proves it when he destroys double teams.
I like Breiden Fehoko. No one is talking about him, but the man just eats up double teams. He never really made a tackle today, but man, he allowed other guys to run free when out there. The run defense never became leaky with him out there, and there is an easy role to see him filling. When you can eat up that much space right away up front, it changes what the Steelers as a team can do with the linebackers and other free-flowing players.
Fehoko’s got little to no pass-rush upside. I’m okay with that in the AFC North. Sometimes, you need to stop the run and just sell out for that. That’s why I think Fehoko will make this football team. He just checks a lot of boxes you look for in a good nose tackle. The tape from Los Angeles isn’t the flashy type and only a certain group of people will appreciate what Fehoko is doing. But he is a vital player that can really play a big role in the AFC North-like conditions, and that is where the team really needs him to excel.