Player: G Spencer Anderson
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: In so many words, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced Spencer Anderson as a starter for the season opener yesterday. With LG Isaac Seumalo out due to a pectoral strain, he tabbed Anderson as the next man up. That means, if there ever was a competition with Mason McCormick, he won.
At least three-fifths of the Steelers’ starting offensive line for the season opener will have less than a year of starting experience, thanks to an injury suffered by LG Isaac Seumalo. Because of his absence, a player with no experience at all will have to fill in. That player, head coach Mike Tomlin announced yesterday, is Spencer Anderson.
Multiple beat writers indicated that Anderson competed with rookie Mason McCormick to serve as Seumalo’s fill-in. If there was any kind of competition, in fact, then Anderson obviously won. He had two advantages in being a second-year player and spending more time with the first-team offensive line. Now he is set for the first real playing time of his NFL career.
A 2023 seventh-round pick out of Maryland, Spencer Anderson earned his roster spot that year through his versatility. This year, he settled into the guard position as his focus, and it paid off. While he still has tackle and center in his quiver, he is firing his arrow directly at guard.
Whether he hits the bull’s-eye remains to be seen. We will judge that based on his performance, as well as what comes next. Even though Anderson is set to start the opener, I don’t know that he is etched in stone as the primary reserve. What if he struggles and Seumalo misses another game—would they consider turning to McCormick? You don’t want to juggle the line too much, but when dealing with a short-term situation, it’s more manageable. The Steelers and every other team have had to juggle their options in such scenarios before.
But based on his performance this offseason, I don’t see any reason to assume the worst. Spencer Anderson should turn in a solid performance, even if this is his first true experience. Of course, you can’t gain experience without playing, and now he finally has his chance.
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.
