Steelers claim a punter off waivers

The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to add to their 2023 offseason roster, this time claiming a punter off of the waiver wire. As reported by ESPN’s Field Yates, the Steelers have claimed punter Braden Mann.

A sixth-round draft pick of the New York Jets in the 2020 NFL draft out of Texas A&M, Braden Mann led the NFL his rookie season in punts with 82 and punting yards with 3,598. With a 43.9 yards per punt average as a rookie, Mann missed seven games in 2021 due to injury but increased his average to 45.7 yards per punt in his second season. Last year, Mann had 83 punts for 3,889 yards and a 46.9 yards per punt average.

During this offseason, the Jets brought back Thomas Morstead who filled in for Mann during the 2021 season and ultimately made the decision to release Mann on Thursday.

Braden Mann will now find himself in a competition with Pressley Harvin for the Steelers punting job. Harvin was a seventh-round pick of the Steelers in the 2021 draft and averaged 42.6 yards per punt in 2021 and 44.5 yards per punt in 2022.

For these two punters, both of which are former Ray Guy Award winners for being the best collegiate punter in a season, the issue with their professional careers has been inconsistency.

It is not surprising the Pittsburgh Steelers are bringing two punters to training camp for the 2023 season. Although the Steelers could change their mind about one of the two players on the roster between now and the end of July, right now there seems to be a serious competition shaking up in Latrobe at the punter position.

Stay tuned to Behind The Steel Curtain for continued coverage of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 offseason.