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Editors note: From now until reporting day to training camp at Saint Vincent College, TribLive is running through the Pittsburgh Steelers 90-man roster, looking at each player and assessing his outlook for the 2026 season.
The breakdown will run in alphabetical order with two players each day between June 13 and July 28.
Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.
OL DOUG NESTER Experience/age: No regular season games, 25 Contract status: $885,000 cap hit in 2026, signed one-year contract The past: A former West Virginia lineman, Nester spent time during the past two seasons on the Steelers practice squad.
Hed initially signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent and spent the 2024 preseason in Minnesota but was released during roster cuts.
He arrived in Pittsburgh days later in August 2024, reuniting with Steelers center Zach Frazier, his college teammate for three seasons at West Virginia.
Nester started for WVU at right guard in 2021 and 22 before moving to right tackle in 23.
He allowed zero sacks as a senior and one as a junior in 739 combined pass-blocking chances.
Pro Football Focus analytics ranked him 28th in pass blocking among all FBS tackles in 2023.
Nester started 53 games over five college seasons.
He played his first two seasons at Virginia Tech before transferring to Morgantown.
Nester twice earned first-team Academic All-Big 12 honors at WVU.
In 2023 with Nester and Frazier as starters, West Virginias offense led all Power 5 schools in rushing yards with 2,976.
The Mountaineers also ranked second that season in fewest sacks allowed with 10.
2026 outlook: Nester is approaching his third NFL training camp overall and his second with the Steelers.
The 6-foot-6, 306-pounder played in two preseason games last season but was released in the initial round of cuts.
A year earlier, Nester spent the entire 2024 season on the Steelers practice squad.
But last year, the Steelers didnt sign him to their practice squad until December, after theyd dealt with injuries upfront.
Nester brought some position flexibility to practice, having played 2,489 college snaps at right guard and 774 at right tackle.
He could catch the eye of the new coaching staff and line coach James Campen.
But his best training camp outcome is likely to keep the practice squad spot that he held for the final four weeks of last season.