Getting an invitation to the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp as an undrafted rookie free agent, might not be the real-life equivalent of Rudy, but it comes pretty close. While the Steelers do have an excellent record of finding and developing undrafted rookie free agents, the odds that these young men face are long.

Nik Embernate was one of the top prospects among the Steelers 2013 undrafted rookie free agent class and had been having an excellent camp, only to injure his knee and be carted off of the field. The worst was feared, and alas those fears were confirmed on Friday afternoon:

Nik Embernate tore his ACL and MCL. surgery date hasn’t been set. #Steelers
— James C Wexell (@jimwexell) August 3, 2013

The road to recovery from a double ACL/MCL injury is long, and unlike a draft pick such as Sean Spence, the Steelers have far less invested in Embernate and less incentive to invite him back in 2014. Steel Curtain Rising wishes him the best.

Steelers React by Looking to Waiver Wire

In light of the injury to Embernate, the Steelers look to the waiver wire and are reportedly working out former Pittsburgh West aka Arizona Cardinal offensive tackle D’Anthony Batiste.

Steelers To Work Out Former Cardinals OL D’Anthony Batiste #repost http://t.co/w0XDlhYR5b
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@SteelersGab) August 3, 2013

While the logic behind this is simple, the deeper question is “Is working out Batiste a good idea?”

To this end I can only quote Behind the Steel Curtain’s Neal Coolong (full disclosure I also write for BTSC):

According to Pro Football Focus, Batiste was the second-worst pass blocking tackles in the NFL last year. Of a horrendous offensive line in Arizona, he was the worst.

Suffice to say, Steel Curtain Rising will have more to say about Steelers training camp injuries in the near future.

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