Steelers No. 24 Player: Dylan Cook Has Huge Opportunity

The Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line may soon establish itself as one of the top units across the NFL.

From Troy Fautanu to Mason McCormick, Zach Frazier, Max Iheanachor, Gennings Dunker and even Spencer Anderson, the group has a ton of young talent across the board.

Dylan Cook's name can't be overlooked in that conversation after a strong showing last season, however, and he is of major importance to Pittsburgh's success in 2026, which is why he comes in as Steelers On SI's No. 24 player on the roster.

Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Dylan Cook (60) defends in the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Cook's Background

Cook began his collegiate career as a quarterback at Montana State Northern before transferring to Montana in 2018 and moving to the offensive line.

He made 23 starts for Montana through the 2021 campaign before entering the 2022 NFL Draft. After going unselected, Cook signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and spent a majority of his rookie season on the team's practice squad.

Cook re-signed with Tampa Bay on a reserve/futures contract in January 2023. He was waived that May, though, and was subsequently signed by the Steelers.

Though he remained on the 53-man roster for the entire year, Cook did not appear in any games in 2023. A foot injury landed him on the reserve/injured list to open the 2024 campaign, and he was waived upon returning in late October before re-signing to Pittsburgh's practice squad.

Cook did not make the initial 53-man roster in 2025 and signed to the practice squad once again. After Broderick Jones and Calvin Anderson were placed on IR with neck and knee injuries, respectively, in late November, Cook was elevated for the Steelers' Week 14 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

He stepped in at left tackle once Andrus Peat suffered a concussion in the second half of that contest and never looked back. Cook remained at the position for the rest of the season and was a surprise standout, allowing just a single sack and six pressures over 291 total offensive snaps in the regular season, per Pro Football Focus.

The 28-year-old scuffled in Pittsburgh's Wild Card round loss to the Houston Texans, giving up three pressures and a sack, but his 2025 campaign was still a resounding success.

Why Cook is So Important to 2026 Steelers

On an offensive line that's brimming with young talent, particularly on the left side with the likes of Fautanu, McCormick and Frazier, Cook is arguably the biggest question mark on the unit next to Anderson, the presumptive favorite to win the right guard job.

Jones would have been in line to start at right tackle if he were deemed healthy, though he's likely to open the year on the PUP list as he continues to recover from his neck injury.

Pittsburgh selected Iheanachor in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft with the hope that he'll eventually develop into a franchise right tackle. The fact of the matter is that while he has everything you look for athletically, his technique still has a long way to go before he can comfortably slot in as a starter.

For that reason, Cook will be tasked with holding down the fort for as long as needed this upcoming season. Bad offensive tackle play can make or break a team, meaning he's under some serious pressure to keep building on what he showcased in 2025.

Given how well he performed over a relatively small sample size, there has to be a fair amount of optimism regarding Cook's ability to stand strong and steady as somewhat of a stop-gap. It's not out of the question that he could stave off Iheanachor or Jones, either, if he plays well and makes it tough for the Steelers to make the decision to remove him from the starting lineup.

Cook has a huge opportunity in front of him, and if he thrives, that could do wonders for Pittsburgh's offense.

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