The decision by the Pittsburgh Steelers to cut Mason Cole in late February without a clear-cut option at the center position behind him was rather puzzling from an outside perspective.
On the inside though, it signaled something deeper from the Steelers, not only that they needed to fix the position immediately, but that they had an internal option they believed a great deal in already, that being veteran interior offensive lineman Nate Herbig.
Throughout the offseason leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft, where the Steelers ultimately drafted West Virginia’s Zach Frazier in the second round, GM Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin spoke highly of Herbig. They stated that they had a good internal option at center in the veteran lineman, and that they weren’t going to panic from a player acquisition standpoint because they believed Herbig could handle the job well if needed.
While Frazier is expected to start right away for the Steelers at center, Herbig isn’t going to go down quietly. He’s been getting some first-team work at center in Organized Team Activities, and that could continue into training camp.
Hearing those comments from Khan and Tomlin, Herbig told reporters Wednesday following an OTA session that he was “grateful” for the belief, but ultimately those words mean nothing as he has to go out and prove himself daily.
“I’m very grateful. I’m grateful that they believe in me and they said those things about me. But I feel like the rent is due every day,” Herbig said, according to video via Steelers.com. “Like, regardless of what they say or what anyone says, the only thing that matters is how I can control the things that I can control. If I’m getting better, if I’m doing the things that I need to do to put myself in a situation to be successful and help the team.
“And that’s all I’ve been thinking. I got that tunnel vision. I’m locked in. I’m just trying to get better, I swear.”
Control the things you can control. It’s cliche, but it is an important one for players to fully lean into and embrace. Focusing on yourself and getting better each and every day can set you up for success when you least expect it.
Center might not be a position where Herbig expected he’d have a legitimate shot at starting, considering he’s played just 49 NFL snaps at the position and never played it at Stanford. Herbig had just nine snaps at center last season in the preseason for the Steelers, with all nine coming against Tampa Bay.
But he is embracing the opportunity and has put his head down and gone to work, putting himself in position to potentially have a say in the starting spot at the center position for the Black and Gold early in the 2024 season.
Herbig will definitely be a player to keep a close eye on this summer and on throughout training camp to see if he can not only push for a starting job at center but strengthen the offensive line in the process.
