The biggest splash of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason has already been made, making for a less exciting NFL Draft and waiting game for Aaron Rodgers or an alternative veteran passer. With the DK Metcalf acquisition out of the way, the Steelers will make a series of box-checking moves.

On Tuesday, Pittsburgh shored up a gap that temporarily opened up front along the offensive line. The Steelers re-signed backup offensive lineman Max Scharping to a one-year deal, which the team announced on social media.

The details of his contract are not yet public, but will likely hover around the veteran minimum.

In October, Pittsburgh signed Scharping off the Washington Commanders practice squad. He didn’t get much action, playing just seven snaps on offense and three on special teams.

That marks two consecutive years in which Scharping has played fewer than 15 snaps.

However, that isn’t necessarily an indictment of his talent. He’s a mediocre backup lineman. There are fewer of those than one would expect, and Scharping has a key trait that makes him more valuable – his versatility. Albeit in small doses, he’s played both left tackle and center along with his significant playing time at left and right guard.

For now, Scharping can comfortably slide in along the second string with Ryan McCollum and Spencer Anderson as backup interior linemen. Without a Day 3 draft pick to add to the competition, his roster spot seems vaguely safe, although it’s worth noting that the Steelers weren’t in a rush to play him amid the injuries up front in 2024.

If nothing else, he’ll compete for a spot to be a piece of the team’s depth.

With experience in the AFC North, spending 2022 and 2023 with the Cincinnati Bengals, and second-round pedigree to his name, Pittsburgh has some softer reasons to keep Scharping in the building. It will take the Steelers hitting some adversity for him to get his shot, but he’ll hope to make more of an impact in his age-29 season.