In need of depth along the interior offensive line, the Steelers have brought in veteran reinforcements. Max Scharping was signed to Pittsburgh’s roster off the Commanders’ practice squad, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The move is now official.
Left guard Isaac Seumalo has yet to play this season as he rehabs a torn rotator cuff. Pittsburgh elected not to place him on injured reserve, meaning a return could be close. Still, Pittsburgh’s offensive line is not at full strength and will not be for the remainder of the campaign. Right guard James Daniels suffered a torn Achilles in Week 4 and he will be out for the rest of the season.
Starting center Nate Herbig is also out of the picture after he suffered a torn rotator cuff before the start of the campaign. Second-round rookie Zach Frazier has handled first-team duties in his absence while playing with multiple contributors at the guard spots. Scharping could enter that mix in his return to the AFC North.
The 28-year-old is a veteran of 79 games and 33 starts across his time with the Texans and Bengals. Scharping saw heavy usage in Houston compared to his sparse role in Cincinnati, which limited his market value this offseason. He signed with the Eagles in a bid to land a roster spot, but Philadelphia cut him in advance of Week 1. That led to a practice-squad deal with the Commanders. Scharping has not seen game action this year, however, and he will look to secure a role in Pittsburgh moving forward.
In a corresponding move, the Steelers placed Daniels on injured reserve. The team also released defensive backs Jalen Elliott and Darius Rush from the 53-man roster as part of its collection of Tuesday transactions. Scharping may not be used in a starting capacity, but he figures to have a role in relatively short order as Pittsburgh looks to find a healthy combination up front.
