Ryan Watts is the youngest player at Pittsburgh Steelers rookie minicamp. Born more than seven years prior to him is a player — on some basic level at face value — against whom he’s competing for a roster spot.
Cornerback Anthony Averett will turn 30 this fall. He’s part of the build-up to an NFL season for a seventh time.
Despite the 51 regular-season games, 27 starts and 114 tackles on his résumé, Averett isn’t above working out with players several years his junior — most of whom have never taken part in an NFL practice (nor will ever suit up for an NFL game).
“All I know is they called, they are giving me an opportunity,” Averett said of the Steelers, “and I couldn’t wait, man. I couldn’t wait to get out here.”
Averett is by far the oldest player at Steelers rookie minicamp this weekend. A 2018 draft pick of the rival Baltimore Ravens, Averett was an every-down outside cornerback as recently as 2021. But he last appeared in a game in 2022 for the Las Vegas Raiders, and in 2023 bounced around in large part because of multiple injuries.
He’s looking to revive his career in Pittsburgh for a team that is thin at cornerback.
“I feel like teams were scared away just to touch me a little bit (because of injury) — but hey, Pittsburgh is not,” Averett said after Saturday’s walkthrough-style practice at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “I am here, I’m healthy — and I’m ready to go.
“I am here to show it, that’s the point.”
6-yr NFL veteran CB Anthony Averett is at Steelers rookie minicamp as a tryout.
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) May 11, 2024
Did he look over the roster before getting here to see if there’s an opening for him? pic.twitter.com/EjDyMOxuer
The three veterans who began last season as the Steelers starting corners — Patrick Peterson, Levi Wallace and Chandon Sullivan — are all gone. Joey Porter Jr. established himself as a rookie last season, and the Steelers acquired veteran Donte Jackson via trade. But aside from that have no sure things at corner. Possibly included in that group is sixth-round rookie draft pick Watts, who is 22.
Enter Averett, a 5-foot-11, 183-pound former two-time national champion at Alabama. He spent a week as part of the San Francisco 49ers training camp last year but quickly landed on injured reserve. A month-long stint on the Detroit Lions’ practice squad followed.
If he proves healthy, Averett could end up with an opportunity to earn a spot over organized team activities and training camp.
“I mean, I didn’t really expect to be here (at a rookie camp) my seventh year in,” Averett said. “But hey, life takes you different places.”
