Steelers Sign Former West Virginia Standout

The Pittsburgh Steelers caught the injury bug once again, with constant injuries being the headline of the tough win against the Baltimore Ravens in the previous week.

With injuries comes the shuffling of players from backup to starter, practice squad to backup, and free agent to practice squad players.

With that in mind, the Steelers have made a move to assist with injuries on their offensive line. The tackle group is dangerously thin at this point in the season, especially with a possible playoff berth in the works in the coming weeks.

Two tackles sit on the injured reserve, with Broderick Jones and Calvin Anderson sidelined with neck and knee injuries respectively. Additionally, Andrus Peat is currently in concussion protocol following the Ravens game. Now, the Steelers have signed former Steelers' practice squad member Doug Nester to deepen the room.

Injuries Continue To Pile Up

With only two healthy tackles on the 53-man roster in Dylan Cook and 2024 NFL Draft first rounder Troy Fautanu, the Steelers sought to deepen their tackle room, and added a familiar face back to the payroll. Steven Jones, Jack Driscoll and Spencer Anderson make up the possible other tackles that could be elevated and currently reside on the Steelers' practice squad.

Nester spent the entire 2024 NFL Season with the Steelers practice squad, and was not elevated. He joined the Steelers ahead of the 2024 season following his release from the Minnesota Vikings, the team that signed him as an undrafted free agent following the conclusion of the 2024 NFL Draft.

How Nester Got To The League

Nester joined the league after a college stint that saw him play two seasons at Virginia Tech before transferring to West Virgina for the remaining three years of his career. In his senior season at West Virginia, Nester played in 12 games, starting 11 of them and did not allow a sack across the entire season. He logged that impressive stat in 660 offensive snaps played that season.

Nester is one of two offensive lineman from the 2023 West Virginia team to play for the Steelers, as his teammate in center Zach Frazier, who the Steelers selected with their second round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.