The Pittsburgh Steelers released Anthony Averett on Tuesday, dealing a setback to the former Alabama cornerback’s comeback attempt.
After an injury-affected 2022 season, Averett appeared on the rosters of the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions in 2023, but he did not play in a regular-season game last year.
Averett had been a free agent since the Lions released him from their practice squad on Nov. 14 when he signed with the Steelers on May 12. Averett earned a contract with Pittsburgh after attending the team’s rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.
Averett played 41 defensive snaps and one special-teams play in Pittsburgh’s preseason opener, and he recorded two tackles and one pass breakup in a 20-12 loss to the Houston Texans on Aug. 9. But Averett was on the field for only seven defensive snaps and six special-teams plays in a 9-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Saturday. He recorded one tackle in the preseason Week 2 game.
A senior starter for Alabama’s CFP national-championship team for the 2017 season, Averett entered the NFL as a fourth-round selection of the Baltimore Ravens in the 2018 draft.
Averett spent his first three seasons largely as a reserve with the Ravens, with his defensive snaps increasing from 71 in 2018 to 220 in 2019 and 354 in 2020.
Averett moved into a starting role when Marcus Peters got hurt in the second game of the 2021 season. Averett’s performance across 14 starts in Baltimore’s defensive backfield included his three NFL interceptions and earned him a one-year, $4 million contract from the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency.
Averett came out of 2022′s season-opening game with a broken thumb. He returned to the field for Game 6 and had started at cornerback and free safety before going out again after six contests because of a broken toe sustained in a 40-34 overtime victory against the Seattle Seahawks. He missed the remainder of the season, then stayed in free agency until Aug. 3, 2023, when the 49ers signed him.
On Aug. 11, 2023, Averett went on injured reserve with an undisclosed ailment, and one week later, San Francisco released him with an injury settlement. Averett joined Detroit’s practice squad on Oct. 10 for a five-week stay.
Averett has played in 51 regular-season and three playoff games in his NFL career.