We are now just one week away from the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, and the Pittsburgh Steelers still do not have a realistic option at the center position on the roster.
Of course, that option will undoubtedly come in the NFL Draft, whether that’s one of Duke’s Graham Barton, Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson or West Virginia’s Zach Frazier in the first two rounds of the draft, or underrated names like Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran-Granger or Penn State’s Hunter Nourzad later in the draft.
For now, the talk about the center position for the Steelers currently on the roster seems to always involve veteran guard Nate Herbig. The Steelers signed Herbig to a two-year deal last offseason in free agency, and could see him as an option at the position. It’s important to remember that Herbig rarely played center in college at Stanford, and has just 49 career snaps in the NFL at the center position overall.
Not great. But maybe — just maybe — there is one name being forgotten in the discussion for a possible Steelers center.
Second-year offensive lineman Spencer Anderson.
Let me put my tinfoil hat on here and strap it tight, so stick with me here.
Last Saturday, new Steelers’ quarterback Russell Wilson was at the Pittsburgh Penguins game and was chopping it up with, of all people, Anderson, along with former franchise greats in Troy Polamalu and Brett Keisel.
One might not think much of it, and maybe I have my tinfoil hat on too tight. But, the question that came to mind immediately regarding Wilson being seen with Anderson: Is that potentially the new QB1 bonding with the projected top center entering OTAs?
It sure seems like that, and Anderson as the top center for the Steelers for the time being seems a little bit more plausible than potentially Herbig.
Coming out of Maryland, Anderson had five games of experience at center. He played every position along the offensive line during his time in college. He got some work throughout training camp and the preseason at center, too, even though he was officially listed as a tackle for the Steelers.
He did get some work at center in training camp, playing all five positions last summer at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe for the Steelers.
Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora noted that center was the last position Anderson played during training camp, and he had his rough moments, including not snapping the football while everyone else moved on a play. But Kozora noted Anderson’s high football IQ, athleticism and overall good footwork.
That could work in new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme. At 6-foot-5, 305 pounds with his athleticism, it certainly seems plausible that Anderson could make a move to center for the Steelers. Spending time with Wilson, getting to know him and really establishing that relationship between quarterback and potential center is important.
At least, that’s how I’m looking at Anderson being within that group Saturday at the Penguins game.
It’s also worth noting that former Steelers’ center Mason Cole took Anderson under his wing as a rookie.
That might be galaxy-braining it a bit, but with a major hole at the center position and Anderson having plenty of experience at the collegiate level at the pivot, maybe — just maybe, there’s something there.
It certainly seems more plausible, at least for me, than Herbig getting snaps at center does.
