With the Draft now in the past, we are in the midst of the NFL offseason. But because of the free agency pool, teams may still make a lot of roster changes. In light of this, it appears like the Pittsburgh Steelers took action to strengthen their defense.
According to reports, following his minicamp tryout, the Steelers officially signed veteran cornerback Anthony Averett, as reported by Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Pittsburgh brings in a reliable player who will now fight for playing time with a different team.
“The Steelers have signed veteran defensive back Anthony Averett, most recently of the Lions and 49ers, following a minicamp tryout.”
Anthony Averett was most recently a member of the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers practice squads. But he played for the Baltimore Ravens for the first four years of his career. In 2022, he was a player for the Las Vegas Raiders as well. Averett has 114 total tackles, 23 pass deflections, and three interceptions in his career.
Because they have superstars and depth behind them, the Steelers always seem to have a strong defense. If Anthony Averett makes the final roster, he should at least offer some reliable depth. It’s unclear if Averett will start at safety or cornerback. In any case, there is fierce rivalry for those jobs.
Averett is more likely to play on special teams if he reaches the final roster. He can assist drag down the return man and offer some stability there. However, nothing is promised in the NFL, so before Averett can get playing time, he needs to show the Steelers that he is a valuable player.
Steelers 2024 season outlook
Thanks to Mike Tomlin, who has never had a losing season as head coach, the Steelers are constantly competitive for a postseason spot. It’s safe to assume Pittsburgh will be competitive again the following season. But the squad hopes to play a lot better than a mediocre team and make a deep postseason run.
It will be intriguing to watch this club’s outcome. After Kenny Pickett was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, the front office made the decision to let go of him. Justin Fields will at least challenge Russell Wilson for the starting position, but Wilson is expected to start.
Although the Steelers have a strong roster overall, their chances have been hampered for a number of years by the quarterback position. Wilson might perform well in Pittsburgh because he actually had a strong season last year. Fields is also a phenomenal athlete who possesses extremely scary legs.
The defense should be able to carry this club through the majority of its games in the upcoming season. However, with Arthur Smith taking over as offensive coordinator, the offensive attack ought to appear differently.
All things considered, the Steelers ought to provide a steady running attack that might facilitate the passing game. Given Mike Tomlin’s track record, Pittsburgh ought to have a chance to win nine games or more.