Pitt will officially have both of its starting offensive tackles returning to Pittsburgh next season.
Branson Taylor announced Tuesday, via Alliance 412, that he would be returning to Pitt and stave off any opportunities to seek NIL opportunities elsewhere. Ryan Baer did the same Wednesday afternoon.
Baer, a 6-foot-7, 330-pound rising third-year sophomore from Eastlake, Oh., will return as the starting right tackle at Pitt next season.
Gavin Bartholomew, Rodney Hamond Jr., Dayon Hayes and Taylor have also announced that they will be returning to Pitt for another season.
Baer, who arrived as the highest-ranked offensive line recruit in the Pat Narduzzi era, stepped into the starting lineup as a second-year freshman last season following the season-ending injury to Matt Goncalves.
He took 583 snaps, the second-most of any Pitt lineman last season, and he lined up primarily at right tackle. It was an eventful season for Baer, as he allowed 23 pressures and four sacks, according to PFF, but he was a young starter thrust into a tough situation.
Baer has the physical tools and ability to emerge as an All-ACC caliber lineman and potential NFL Draft pick down the line.
Baer’s development throughout the offseason will be a key factor when it comes to a resurgence from the Panthers’ offense.
Pitt worked through a double-digit number of offensive line combinations in 2023, to varying degrees of success, but it’s clear that, for all of the problems offensively, the offensive line play wasn’t good enough.
Jake Kradel and Blake Zubovic, mainstays on the offensive line over the last two seasons, have exhausted their eligibility, and preseason starters Matt Goncalves and Ryan Jacoby have not decided upon their futures yet.
Taylor and Ryan Baer started just about every game at left and right tackle, respectively, after Goncalves went down with an injury, and there’s potential there. BJ Williams and Jason Collier Jr. will return as two of the more experienced interior options now.
Pitt is already searching the transfer portal for help on the line next season.
Great News, hopefully there’s a new OL coach.
H2P!