Steelers sign Averett after rookie minicamp tryout

The Steelers have signed cornerback Anthony Averett to a one-year contract. The team made the deal official Sunday afternoon. Financial terms of the deal are not yet known.

Averett, 29, was in Pittsburgh over the weekend on a tryout during rookie minicamp. Last season, Averett split time between the 49ers and Lions, but didn't play in any regular season games. His last NFL action came with the Raiders during the 2022 season, in which he recorded 13 tackles and one pass defensed in six starts and seven total appearances.

Averett was originally a fourth-round selection by the Ravens in the 2018 NFL Draft. In four seasons with the Ravens, Averett tallied 101 tackles, three interceptions and 22 passes defensed. He had a standout season in 2021, in which he recorded 54 tackles, all three of his career interceptions and 11 passes defensed in 14 games.

Averett has primarily played outside, logging 1,478 career snaps there. He's only played 139 snaps in the slot, so it will be interesting to see where the Steelers envision him playing.

Of course, Averett will have plenty of competition at the cornerback position. Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson are slotted as the starters on the outside, and then there's a group of Cory Trice Jr., Darius Rush, Luq Barcoo, sixth-round pick Ryan Watts and several others vying for spots high up in the depth chart.