The Giants added some depth to the interior of their offensive line on Thursday.
The team agreed to terms with free agent center J.C. Hassenauer, a source confirmed.
Hassenauer, 27, played for the Steelers over the last three seasons, appearing in 45 games with seven starts. He has also played guard.
The Giants are thin at center after losing Jon Feliciano and Nick Gates in free agency.
Hassenauer signed with the Falcons in 2018 as an undrafted free agent and was on the team’s practice squad.
He signed with the Steelers in 2020.
Nick Gates, who showed he was a versatile lineman while he was with the Giants, had agreed to a three-year, $16.5 million deal with the rival Commanders in March.
The 27-year-old Gates went down with a gruesome broken left fibula and tibia against the Commanders in the 2021 season, an injury that nearly ended his career.
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He needed seven surgeries to get the leg in working order, and he was able to return to the field midway though the 2022 season.
Gates — who received $8 million in guaranteed money from the Commanders — started eight of the final nine games for the Giants last season, mostly working at left guard in a rotation with Ben Bredeson.
He also was the starting left guard for both of the Giants’ playoff games.
The 31-year-old Feliciano, who started 15 of 16 games for the Giants, had agreed to a one-year contract with the 49ers in March.
He graded as the No. 31-ranked center out of 36 qualifiers by Pro Football Focus last season.
Feliciano’s exit was a surprise given that he followed general manager Joe Schoen, head coach Brian Daboll and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson from the Bills to the Giants last offseason.
Feliciano had expressed an interest in re-signing, but a Giants’ reunion wasn’t in the cards.
