With Maurkice Pouncey set to be sidelined for at least the first few weeks of the regular season, the Steelers are dealing with the loss of their starting center by adding one of their former starting linemen. According to Burt Lauten (Twitter link), the club has signed veteran free agent Doug Legursky. In a corresponding roster move, Pittsburgh placed wide receiver David Nelson on injured reserve.
Legursky, 29, spent parts of four seasons with the Steelers from 2009 to 2012, starting 17 games for the club during that stretch. In his first stint with Pittsburgh, Legursky saw significant action at guard, but he was the starting center for the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, and was signed by the Chargers last season as a replacement at center. Legursky lasted only two games in San Diego before a knee injury landed him on injured reserve for the rest of the 2014 campaign.
With Pouncey sidelined, Cody Wallace appears poised to step into the starting center role for the Steelers, but Legursky could push for playing time at the position.
Nelson, meanwhile, just joined the Steelers less than two weeks ago. However, he didn’t appear in a preseason game with the team as he dealt with a shoulder injury. If that shoulder issue isn’t season-ending, he figures to be removed from Pittsburgh’s IR at some point, perhaps with an injury settlement.