Although it has only been two seasons, guard James Daniels has established himself as one of the most important players on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster.
Since 2022, Daniels has played a total of 2,105 offensive snaps. In this snaps, Daniels has only surrendered one sack with just eight penalties committed.
With the exception of his Week 15 performance against the Colts, Daniels has been arguably the most reliable offensive lineman for the Steelers, next to veteran Isaac Seumalo, who finished the season as the highest-graded offensive lineman on the team. From Week 7 to Week 11 this season, Daniels allowed only three pressures and no sacks on 167 pass-blocking snaps.
Daniels may not have received much attention, partly due to his quiet demeanor, but his impact on the field has been felt in the success of the Steelers offense, primarily in their run offense that improved exponentially the last three weeks of the season.
If the Steelers are looking to pull off a playoff upset victory against the Buffalo Bills, it will begin their offensive line, establishing themselves against a stout Bills defensive front. With With Daniels' steady presence upfront, they have a fighting chance of making that happen.