The Pittsburgh Steelers have invited veteran cornerback Anthony Averett to the team's rookie minicamp on a trial basis. The 29-year-old spent some of the 2023 season on the Detroit Lions practice squad, but didn't see any regular season action. Pittsburgh is still in the market for another cornerback to add to the starting mix.
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported the news that Pittsburgh was bringing in the former Baltimore Ravens draft pick on X on Monday afternoon.
Averett was originally a Ravens fourth-round pick in 2018 after a three-year career at the University of Alabama. He played in 44 games for the Ravens with 21 starts. The 2022 season was a big one for him as he started 14 games and registered three interceptions, while also having 11 passes defended.
After his rookie contract ended, he landed with the Las Vegas Raiders for the 2022 season. He was placed on injured reserve after suffering a broken thumb in Week 1. He returned in late October only to go back to injured reserve at the end of November.
Averett played in seven games for the Raiders, making six starts. He didn't force a turnover and only made 13 tackles.
In 2023, he initially signed on to be a member of the San Francisco 49ers. He was placed on injury reserve just eight days after the team picked him up and was released shortly after. In October of the same year, the Lions added him to their practice squad. He didn't get on the field with the team and was released in November.
Averett has struggled with injuries in all of his NFL stops. If he can stay healthy and come close to the heights he reached in 2021, he could be a very useful piece in the Steelers' secondary.
Steelers Searching For Cornerback Help
Pittsburgh needs more help at cornerback, so it's not surprising to see them not leaving any stone unturned. Joey Porter Jr. has emerged as the top player of the group, but the depth beyond him is largely inexperienced.
While he didn't see the field in 2023, Averett would bring 51 career games of experience, which is much higher than the group of Darius Rush, Cory Trice Jr., and Luq Barcoo.
More must-reads: