Pittsburgh Steelers seventh-round rookie Spencer Anderson played three different positions in the team’s preseason opener, a 27-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Anderson got some reps at right guard in the second quarter, then switched to right tackle before moving over to left guard.
That sort of versatility can really help increase Anderson’s chances of making the initial 53-man roster, something Matt Canada talked about before practice today.
“I think versatility, the more things you can do in anything in life, probably the better you are. You’ve gotta be a master at something. But I think Spencer’s a guy that has some versatility with what he can do, with different spots, physicality and movement and those things. So, that gives him more opportunities to play,” Canada said via Steelers.com.
He also said that Anderson could have some value as a center.
“Spencer can snap the ball. I mean, obviously we’re looking at it right now, I don’t know if we’ll get to that or not, But, again, his versatility is real so as we look at those things, the more he can do, when you start getting down to those last spots, and I think those things are valuable,” Canada said. “So, we know Spencer can snap so wouldn’t want to get direct on that, but that’s certainly a possibility if we get to that.”
Pittsburgh’s backup center spot is pretty unsettled at the moment, with Kendrick Green still looking wholly incapable of manning it and Ryan McCollum not the most exciting option, either. Nate Herbig appears to have a leg up, but he’s also going to be the main backup at both guard spots. If there’s a scenario where the Steelers are down Mason Cole and a guard, not having capable depth could bite them.
Anderson could emerge as an option. He looked talented as a pass blocker on Friday night, but he needs some work in the run game. I would like to see him potentially get some center snaps going forward, but even if he doesn’t his ability to move all over the line makes him an asset. If he’s going to make the roster as Pittsburgh’s final offensive lineman, being both guard and center capable gives him a leg up over other options, and definitely makes him more attractive to the team.
Anderson could end up being a nice value pick in the seventh round. Even if he doesn’t develop into a starter, having backups who can move around and plug holes across the offensive line is incredibly valuable in the NFL.
While Pittsburgh didn’t suffer any offensive line injuries last year that caused guys to miss starts, that’s incredibly rare. It’s important to have depth you can rely on, and guys who can do a little bit of everything like Anderson are good to have around.
He’s going to be someone to watch the rest of the preseason. If he can prove to be effective at multiple positions, that’s going to increase his value to the Steelers, and it could end up being enough for him to land on the team’s initial 53-man roster.
