Steelers Have Backup Plan at Center

The Pittsburgh Steelers are searching for options to replace Mason Cole, and are open to acquiring their next starter through any means possible. 

General manager Omar Khan made it known at the NFL Combine that the Steelers would look into the NFL Draft, free agency and possible trades to ensure they have a starting center on the roster this upcoming season. If they are unable to land one, though, they have a backup plan in place they feel confident about. 

"Right now, we have Nate Herbig," Khan said. "I always talk about offensive linemen that have position flexibility. That’s always been important to me. We have offensive linemen that are center-capable. But that’s not to say that we’re not going to take a look in free agency and the trade market and the draft process. There’s some good players at every one of those. We feel good about the center draft. We feel good about the center free agents."

Now, Herbig isn't going to be handed the starting job in 2024. The Steelers will look at all their options and begin trying to land another starter-capable player for competition alongside the 25-year-old, and have started thinking of those options already. 

Sources tell All Steelers, the team has some level of interest in signing former Las Angeles Rams starter Brian Allen, who at 28-years-old, has 32 games of starting experience under his belt in the NFL. 

"We have position-flexible guys that are starters in the league as it is, but we’re always going to try to improve the team," Khan said. "We cut our starting center from last year. We feel good about Nate Herbig. But if there’s an opportunity to bring in some good competition, we’re going to do it."

The Steelers will continue scouting top centers at the NFL Combine and then begin their discussions about free agents. It's almost certain they'll add to the group, but if they are unable to acquire a first-team player, Herbig is their next choice.