Jaguars RT Austin Pasztor Will Start Against Steelers

Jacksonville Jaguars right tackle Austin Pasztor will make his season debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers following time off with a hand injury. He had been practicing with a club around his hand until it was slowly removed and the team feels he can be effective.

The Jaguars have had a patchwork at best offensive line so far this season. Cameron Bradfield started the season at right tackle before being cut following a 10 sack franchise record set by the team in week two against the Washington Redskins. Sam Young was brought in to fill the void and has played decently while the team has waited for Austin Pasztor to come back.

The 6’7″ right tackle will add some much needed experience along a line that is struggling in large part due to inexperience and also because of poor communication. He will help solidify a unit that is underwhelming at the best of times and downright frightening at the worst. Blake Bortles will be happy to get back a player of higher caliber at a position that helps protect him so he can string together better games and continue learning his position. Starting Pasztor should help him a lot.

Pasztor should also help the running game which has struggled to get off the ground so far in 2014. The struggles are consistent with what head coach Gus Bradley oversaw last season, but Pasztor should be able to help immediately as he was a part of the unit that saw some success in the later part of the year. He started 12 games last season and will bring reassurance to a position that has seen so much struggle and turmoil so far in the season.

Hopefully Pasztor will be able to perform well immediately. It’s tough for an offensive line to continually have different players cycling through positions. This will be the third player who has spent time at right tackle for the Jaguars. Hopefully Pasztor will be able to man it for the rest of the year and help the Jags progress on offense.