Nate Herbig spent training camp at the top of the Steelers’ center depth chart, but won’t be available for a while. The sixth-year blocker is dealing with a “serious” shoulder injury, reports Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 
Herbig will miss the regular season, Dulac added. As a result, the 26-year-old is no longer in the running for the starting center position for Week 1. Rookie from the second round Zach Frazier will instead take on those duties, as could be the case at some point during the 2024 season anyway. The West Virginia product was one of three draft investments Pittsburgh made in April.
The first of these was Troy Fautanu, was selected 20th. The former Washington player will now take over the duties of right tackle, replacing the 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones to move to the blindside. Frazier will have a limited amount of time to gain first-team time in practice and preseason before assuming starting responsibilities in the fall. Herbig will be out of the team due to the injury news as he begins his second season.
The former Eagle and Jet signed a two-year, $8 million contract last offseason. This contract allowed him to play in every regular and postseason game in his first season with the Steelers, making two starts. Herbig played left and right guard (his most well-known positions) during that time, but not center. Isaac Seumalo And James Daniels While he is projected to play both guard positions, he spent this summer preparing to do a starter’s job as a pivot player.
Now, Herbig’s attention will be focused on his recovery as he enters a new contract year. If Frazier performs well right away, he will cement his status as the Steelers’ center in the present and future. That would increase the chances of Herbig becoming a free agent next March (as Michael he did last offseason), although he can still be counted on as a great substitute once he is healthy again.
