Nester’s Preseason Tape Indicates He Could Be Ready for a Larger Role
- Kelly Anozie
- 4 days ago
- 1 min read
Like most offensive linemen, Steelers guard Doug Nester’s contributions are not easily captured on the stat sheet. Yet throughout the preseason, he emerged as one of the team’s most consistent and effective performers.
Across Pittsburgh’s three preseason games, Nester logged 145 offensive snaps — the most of any lineman on the roster. His strongest outing came in the third game against the Buffalo Bills, where he played all 61 offensive snaps and earned the team’s highest Pro Football Focus grade, a 90.6. Even with that level of production, it ultimately was not enough to secure a spot on the 53‑man roster.
Though he is on the team’s practice squad, Nester’s tape suggests a different trajectory. In multiple preseason sequences, he stonewalled veteran defensive tackles, reset the line of scrimmage, and displayed a level of poise that typically takes young linemen a year or more to develop. His placement on the practice squad feels less like a demotion and more like a temporary holding pattern.
The Steelers clearly saw value in keeping him close; practice‑squad linemen with his level of preseason performance rarely remain unpoached for long. Should injuries arise or the interior line require reinforcement, Nester is the type of player who can step in without the usual developmental limitations.
He has already shown he can handle NFL tempo, power, and complexity. In short, he may be on the practice squad today, but he played like someone unlikely to stay there for long.
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