The Pittsburgh Steelers will reportedly be without offensive lineman Nate Herbig for a while and possibly the entire 2024 season.
According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Herbig is suffering from a torn rotator cuff and could miss the entire season. At the very least, he will be out for quite some time.
Herbig sustained the injury in practice before the second week of preseason play against the Buffalo Bills. His extended absence will pave the way for rookie center Zach Frazier to secure a starting spot in the future.
Herbig was ahead in the center competition at the start of training camp, but Frazier has stepped up his game in recent weeks, following up a very strong performance in Week 1 of the preseason with another in Week 2 of the preseason and at least closing the gap.
BAD NEWS: Nate Herbig has a torn rotator cuff, according to sources, an injury that could sideline him for the entire season. https://t.co/O6i7G1BsvK
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) 18 August 2024
Frazier didn’t let up on pressure on Saturday night against the Bills, posting the third-best pass blocking score (82.3) according to Pro Football Focus. Frazier’s run blocking score wasn’t as great (45.7), but he more than held his own.
Herbig originally signed with the Steelers in 2023 and played as a backup, starting just twice in 17 games. It will be interesting to see if the Steelers place him on the injured list before or after the final cuts. If he comes after that, it means they expect him to return this season.
