Steelers Place Herbig on IR, Sign Haynes in Roster Churn

The Pittsburgh Steelers are closing in on the regular season, and as Week 1 looms, countless decisions are yet to be made.

Subsequently, the roster churn of training camp produces moves seemingly every day as the Steelers shape up the offseason roster and deal with injuries sustained in the dog days of summer.

On Tuesday, Pittsburgh announced several moves , including placing interior offensive lineman Nate Herbig on injured reserve.

Herbig tore his rotator cuff this past week, taking him out of the running for the Steelers’ starting center job. While second-round rookie Zach Frazier had been gaining momentum, picking up first-team reps and impressing in the preseason, Herbig’s injury makes the promotion an inevitability.

Given the center’s pro-ready prospect profile and strong performance this summer, Herbig isn’t likely to have a job waiting for him when he returns to full health. At this point, his season remains in doubt.

The Steelers made two additional signings on Tuesday, bringing in defensive lineman Marcus Haynes and linebacker Kyahva Tezino .

Haynes, a 2023 undrafted free agent, figures to be a part of the edge rusher conversation at the bottom of Pittsburgh’s roster. He’s dangerously undersized, weighing in at 233 pounds during the pre-draft cycle, but has some exciting burst and agility to make up for it.

Tezino has bounced around professional football, seeing time with the New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers before a stint in the USFL.

Related: Frazier Promoted By Steelers After Herbig Injury

With Herbig on injured reserve, two signings meant that a corresponding move was necessary. The team announced that veteran cornerback Anthony Averett was released to complete the aforementioned transactions.

Averett had initially been a part of the competition for depth spots in the Steelers’ secondary, but hadn’t seen game action since 2022.