As the Pittsburgh Steelers look to put the finishing touches on their 90-man summer roster, they made a move to beef up the offensive line. On Wednesday, the team signed former Houston Texans offensive guard Nick Broeker.
Broeker was a seventh-round pick of the Texans in the 2023 NFL Draft. Over his first two seasons, Broeker appeared in 12 regular-season games while chipping in 53 snaps on special teams. Following the aftermath of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Texans decided to waive Broeker. Less than two weeks later, the Steelers inked him to a one-year contract.
The tenacious offensive lineman was known for his mean streak during his college days at Ole Miss, where he never missed a game in four seasons. Now, some fans are already speculating what his role could be on the team.
But don't worry, Mason McCormick's job is far from being in jeopardy.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' new OG Nick Broeker is no threat to Mason McCormick
If you didn't know much about Nick Broeker before this signing and were worried that he would take the place of promising up-and-comer Mason McCormick, you don't need to hold your breath. Broeker is strictly a depth option on the Steelers' 90-man summer roster who will have a shot to compete for a reserve role as a backup interior offensive lineman in 2025.
The Steelers have higher expectations for McCormick. Pittsburgh's fourth-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft surprisingly found his way onto the starting lineup as a rookie after season-ending injuries to guards James Daniels and Nate Herbig. While McCormick's rookie season was filled with ups and downs, he flashed his potential.
One of the biggest draws to McCormick in the NFL Draft was his prototype size and athletic profile. At 6'4 1/4'' and 309 pounds with nearly 34'' arms, McCormick posted an outrageous 35 1/2'' vertical jump and 117" broad jump—each of which ranks in the 98th percentile among guards, per Mockdraftable's database. outrageous
McCormick, who played his college ball with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, also had impressive tape, and his 90.3 overall PFF grade was the best among all guards in the FBS since 2022.
Adding offensive line depth was a must, but it's going to take a much bigger signing than Nick Broeker to threaten McCormick's path to a starting job in 2025.