The Pittsburgh Steelers are bringing CB Anthony Averett back as a member of their practice squad, per NFL insider Aaron Wilson.
Averett, who has five years of NFL experience, signed with the Steelers after a successful tryout at the team’s rookie minicamp. After suffering an injury in the team’s second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, he was released, but the Steelers saw enough from Averett to bring him back and give him a look on the practice squad.
He played 41 snaps in Pittsburgh’s preseason opener against the Houston Texans and seven against the Buffalo Bills before leaving with a hamstring injury.
With Pittsburgh’s cornerback depth being thin, its top outside corners being Cory Trice Jr. and Darius Rush, having a veteran like Averett on the practice squad makes a lot of sense. If the Steelers aren’t happy with the play of their cornerbacks, they can turn to someone who has experience and was a pretty solid player for the Ravens in 2021.
Averett didn’t play any NFL snaps last season, but he played 1,732 defensive snaps from 2018-2022 as a member of the Ravens from 2018-2021 and then with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022. For his career, he has 114 total tackles along with three interceptions and 23 passes defensed. While there might not be much developmental upside with Averett at 29 years old, the Steelers have guys they can develop in Rush and Trice. Averett provides an experienced option if those guys aren’t ready to play a bigger role.
Averett is the fifth player we know Pittsburgh has added to its practice squad, along with RBs Boston Scott and Jonathan Ward, WR Brandon Johnson, and OL Doug Nester.
