The Pittsburgh Steelers signed CB Anthony Averett, a former Baltimore Raven who tried out during rookie minicamp. The veteran defender comes into a locker room full of familiar faces. During his time at Alabama, he played with, for example, Minkah Fitzpatrick.
In Patrick Queen’s case, however, they played together in Baltimore. They were on the other side of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ rivalry with the Ravens. And like Queen, who signed this offseason as a free agent, Averett is ready to embrace the antagonist role.
“I want to be that villain. I want to be that guy, so I’m looking to do some stuff to them”, Queen said about the Ravens during his introductory press conference as a Steeler in March. Many of his former Ravens teammates joked with him that he’d joined the dark side.
For them, he’s the enemy on the field, and now he has another partner in Anthony Averett. “I can have that same tool, too”, he said after signing with the Steelers, via Mike Prisuta for the team’s website. “I can be right with him, absolutely”.
The Ravens selected Averett, 29, out of Alabama in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He spent his first four seasons in Baltimore before leaving for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022. He missed most of that season due to injury and then struggled to find work last year for the same reason. The San Francisco 49ers waived him injured in mid-August before he eventually spent a month on the Detroit Lions’ practice squad midseason.
Health has always been an issue for Averett, admittedly, particularly in recent years. He climbed up the depth chart the last time he was healthy, however. In 14 games in 2021, he played 808 snaps for the Ravens, making three interceptions.
Now with the Steelers, however, he merely has a spot on the 90-man roster. Averett still has to earn a place on the active roster before even considering playing time. He isn’t the first person to have his career derailed by injuries, to be certain. But he does have experience, which the Steelers need.
Averett admitted that he never imagined himself attending a rookie minicamp tryout to earn a job before. Indeed, he didn’t even seem aware in advance that veteran players were permitted to try out during such events. But luckily for him, he could, and the Steelers liked what they saw.
He’s had plenty to see from the other side of the aisle, as well. Although he’s missed most of the games his teams have played against the Steelers over the years due to injuries, he’s been on the field for three. “I love when they play ‘Renegade'”, Averett admitted. “I know everybody talks about that one”.
