The decision by the Pittsburgh Steelers to cut Mason Cole in late February without a clear-cut option at the center position behind him was rather puzzling from an outside perspective.
On the inside though, it signaled something deeper from the Steelers, not only that they needed to fix the position immediately, but that they had an internal option they believed a great deal in already, that being veteran interior offensive lineman Nate Herbig.
Throughout the offseason leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft, where the Steelers ultimately drafted West Virginia’s Zach Frazier in the second round, GM Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin spoke highly of Herbig.