Nothing is going right this season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The latest blow came Saturday with word starting center Fernando Velasco is done for the season with an Achilles tendon injury.
Velasco went down in Thursday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens, a game that now is an even bigger turkey for the troubled team.
When Maurkice Pouncey was felled by a season-ending injury in the 2013 opener — some harbinger, eh? — Steelers brass signed Velasco as a fill-in. The Tennessee Titans jettisoned Velasco just before camp ended.
Now the Steelers are looking for a third starter at center. They also need to plug a hole at left tackle, because Kelvin Beachum also was injured during the Ravens game. It's not clear how long Beachum will be out.
Also down is tackle Mike Adams, injury duration unknown; and running back Le'Veon Bell, being watched under NFL concussion protocol.
With Velasco done and defensive back DeMarcus Van Dyke released, the Steelers added offensive linemen Eric Olson and Rashad Butler. Olson, a 2010 New Orleans Saints pick, is a center, but Cody Wallace will likely get first crack at replacing Velasco, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported.
Butler, originally with the Carolina Panthers, is the team's tackle patch. He appeared in nine games this season for the Cleveland Browns.
Contributing: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette