Player: OL Mason McCormick
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: The rookie interior lineman just got even more valuable as a result of Nate Herbig’s season-ending injury. Mason McCormick is now ramping up his work at center, and could be the primary backup at all three interior offensive line positions. While he doesn’t have much experience at center, teams viewed him as center-capable during the pre-draft process. With Zach Frazier installed as the starter at center, he can now at least compete as the top backup guard.
One man’s misfortune, they say, is another man’s opportunity, and Mason McCormick has another opportunity in front of him. Because of Nate Herbig’s season-ending injury, McCormick may now be one snap away from playing on a weekly basis.
Herbig was competing with rookie C Zach Frazer for the starting center job, and the loser was to be the top interior reserve — although Frazier probably would not have been the top backup guard. Everybody expected Frazier to win, though, meaning they expected Herbig to be the top interior reserve across the board. Now that he is unavailable, there is an opportunity or McCormick to take that job for himself.
A rookie fourth-round pick, Mason McCormick has been impressive throughout the offseason. He has approached his work with a no-nonsense attitude and has looked the part. A potential future starter, he can now prime himself to take advantage of any injuries this year.
With teams now able to dress eight offensive linemen on game day, the Steelers can also have a separate backup guard and center. That is good news for McCormick, who doesn’t have much of a background at the position. While he is ramping up his work there now, he doesn’t have to excel at center to dress or back up at guard.
Starting RG James Daniels will be a free agent after this season, and Mason McCormick could be his successor. The Steelers have a better chance of getting a feel for that if he is one snap away from playing. While nobody is (or should be) celebrating Nate Herbig’s injury, there is some positive for McCormick.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion — any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
