Situations can unravel quickly in the NFL. Just a week ago, many were clamoring for rookie C Zach Frazier to be promoted to the starting role over Nate Herbig. But on the final day of practice at Saint Vincent College, Herbig sustained a season-ending shoulder injury. That obviously thrusts the rookie into the starting role but also creates a depth issue. Who is going to be the Steelers’ backup center?
In the first two preseason games, Herbig, Frazier, and Ryan McCollum were the only centers to log snaps. If you start to do the math on the 53-man roster, it is difficult to see McCollum carving out a spot for himself. Dan Moore Jr., Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu, Isaac Seumalo, James Daniels, Zach Frazier, and Mason McCormick are all roster locks. That leaves one or two spots for McCollum, Spencer Anderson, and Dylan Cook to battle for.
According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Steelers insider Gerry Dulac, Anderson or McCormick will likely end up the backup center.
“Right now, it will be Anderson or McCormick, and I don’t think that will change,” Dulac wrote in his weekly Steelers chat. “They would love to get McCormick into the lineup.”
Dave Bryan put together a list of the center snaps, in college and the NFL, for the Steelers’ center options.
McCollum is clearly the most experienced. Anderson played a little center in college but was a tackle for the Steelers in his rookie season last year. He has since transitioned to a full-time guard, but he is five-position capable. McCormick has almost zero college experience at center, but there was a fair amount of pre-draft buzz linking him to the position.
The Steelers reportedly have been giving McCormick more center snaps in practice since the Herbig injury.
Dulac was asked earlier in the chat which offensive linemen impressed during camp. He named Frazier, Fautanu, and McCormick, but put extra emphasis on McCormick. The Steelers were reportedly pleasantly surprised by his movement abilities and his adjustment from FCS football to the NFL.
The preseason game against the Detroit Lions on Saturday should tell us a lot about the Steelers’ plans at center. Will McCollum be the first off the bench when Frazier checks out? I would imagine both Anderson and McCormick see some center snaps. Their performance will help decide the eventual outcome.
There is always the possibility that the Steelers look to add a veteran after roster cutdowns next Tuesday. Dulac seems to think that won’t happen, however.
