Could Nate Herbig still hold off Zach Frazier for the starting center job?
The Steelers drafted Zach Frazier to be their center of the future, but is he their center of the present? Nate Herbig still has a say in that, and it seems he did what he needed to do in the spring. The veteran took most of the first-team reps during OTAs and minicamp, according to reporters.
Take that for what it’s worth, of course, which may not be much. Especially for offensive linemen, you’re not evaluating a whole lot without pads on. And Zach Frazier is the sort of lineman who needs the pads to look the part. On the other hand, that’s even more true of Herbig.
Steelers fans bristle at the idea of Nate Herbig starting—and particularly starting at center. After all, he barely has any in-game experience there during the regular season. He’s not as much of a novice as many suggest, however, as he has ample experience in the preseason and during practices. He spent much of his career as Jason Kelce’s backup. Of course, he doesn’t have nearly the history of playing the position that Frazier does.
For both of them, entering training camp will probably be something of a blank slate. One would expect a rookie to grow considerably from the spring to then, just beginning to process schemes and techniques. Frazier, therefore, has more to gain over the summer than does Herbig, who is who he is by now.
All indications suggest that the Steelers will, however, move forward with Herbig in “pole position” to start camp. That pole position surely doesn’t mean nearly as much as it does at quarterback, though. Frazier will have ample opportunity to make his laps around the track in due time.
And let’s face it, the coaches know there’s only so much they can glean from linemen without pads. So we probably shouldn’t place much stock in Herbig lining up ahead of Frazier at this time of year. But Frazier still has to earn the job, and he hasn’t done that yet, much to Steelers fans’ chagrin.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is approaching, following another disappointing year that culminated in a playoff loss. The only change-up in the annual formula lately is whether they miss the playoffs altogether. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? How will the team continue to address the depth chart?
The Steelers are past free agency and the draft and their roster for the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
