Steelers agree to contract with free-agent guard Nate Herbig, bring back Damontae Kazee

For the second consecutive free-agent period, the Pittsburgh Steelers made it a priority to beef up the interior of their offensive line. Then, they retained a versatile member of their secondary.

Twelve months after signing veterans who became their starting right guard and center, the Steelers agreed to terms with Nate Herbig on Tuesday, according to a source. The deal is worth $8 million over two years, with $4 million guaranteed.

The Steelers then re-signed safety Damontae Kazee to a two-year deal.

For the type of investment given to Herbig, he likely will be competing to start, and the most logical position would be left guard, where Kevin Dotson is the incumbent but is entering the final year of his contract.

The Steelers during the free-agency “legal tampering period” last year signed James Daniels (three years, $26.5 million) to play right guard and Mason Cole (three years. $15.75 million) to man center.

The 6-foot-4, 334-pound Herbig, who will be 25 in July, has started 28 games over four NFL seasons. He started 11 games for the New York Jets last season at right guard but had spent his first three seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. Herbig made 17 starts — some at both guard spots — in 2020-21 for Philadelphia, where current Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl worked in the player personnel department.

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Herbig was offered a restricted free-agent tender in 2022 by the Eagles, but he was released in May and signed with the Jets. He did not play in the first three games of the season, then started 11 of the next 12. Herbig was inactive for Week 17 and did not play in Week 18.

Herbig’s first start last season for the Jets, coincidentally, was against the Steelers.

Herbig was undrafted out of Stanford in 2019. He was viewed as a mid-round pick, but his stock fell after his performance at the NFL Combine. Herbig ran the 40-yard dash in 5.41 seconds, the slowest time of any participant that year.

His addition could come at the expense of Dotson, who started all 17 games and didn’t miss a snap at left guard last season. Dotson, though, was credited with allowing four sacks, second most of any Steelers offensive lineman.

The agreement is the second for the Steelers since this year’s legal tampering period began Monday. They agreed to terms with cornerback Patrick Peterson on Monday. No signings are official until the new NFL league year begins Wednesday afternoon.

Kazee, 29, missed the first half of the season after suffering an arm injury in the preseason finale. His debut with the Steelers in Week 10 coincided with the team going 7-2 in the second half. Kazee started four games and was used as a third safety in certain subpackages. He played at least 50% of the defensive snaps in four games and no fewer than 33%.

Kazee joined the Steelers last year after the NFL Draft when he was signed to a one-year deal.

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