Who will serve as the Steelers’ primary backup center following Nate Herbig’s injury?
The Steelers lost their backup center this past week, placing Nate Herbig on the Reserve/Injured List. While he ran as the first-team center throughout the offseason, rookie Zach Frazier appeared on track to overtake him. Herbig’s shoulder injury helped to cement just that, but now the Steelers don’t have a backup center.
At least, they don’t have one clearly established option, meaning they will have to sort through the contenders. Essentially, there are three, including Ryan McCollum, who has been on the practice squad the past couple years. The Steelers also have two recent draft picks who are center-capable but who are primarily guards.
Spencer Anderson, drafted in the seventh round in 2023, has some starting college experience at center. However, he logged most of his time playing guard and tackle. The Steelers drafted Mason McCormick in the fourth round this year, who played a total of 15 snaps at center. Still, as a prospect, teams viewed him as a center-capable player.
Both McCormick and Anderson feel like locks to make the Steelers’ 53-man roster, while McCollum is certainly not. That is unless the Steelers feel like he is their best option as the backup because he is closer to a true center. McCollum only played one full season in college at center, but he has primarily worked at center in the NFL.
If the Steelers really wanted to get adventurous, they could consider RG James Daniels their backup center in the event Frazier suffers a significant injury. In such an event, they could simply plug McCormick or Anderson in at right guard. The only problem with that is Daniels hasn’t played center in years.
One hopes, of course, that the Steelers will never have to answer the question this year. If Zach Frazier stays healthy and plays well, they won’t have to worry about it. But injuries are a part of the game, and chances are the Steelers will need at least six or even linemen to play this year, if not more. One of them may have to play center, and if so, who will it be?
The Steelers’ 2024 season is approaching, following another disappointing year that culminated in a first-round playoff loss. The only change-up in the annual formula lately is whether they exit early or 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 in training camp and the preseason and 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. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
