After adding a veteran wideout to their practice squad earlier today, the Steelers have now added a player on the other side of the ball. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Steelers have signed linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley to their taxi squad. ESPN’s Field Yates reported earlier today that Bentley was visiting Pittsburgh.
Bentley joins the Steelers following a seven-year stay in New England, where he transformed into one of the team’s most dependable defenders. The former fifth-round pick tallied at least 100 tackles each year between 2021 and 2023, and he added another 8.5 sacks over that same span.
He was back in the starting lineup for the 2024 season, but he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Week 2 that ended his season early. The Patriots moved on from him back in March, and he’s remained unsigned since that time.
With Malik Harrison on injured reserve and Patrick Queen nursing an oblique issue, the Steelers decided to add some veteran depth to their squad. Cole Holcomb and rookie seventh-round pick Carson Bruener represent the team’s current depth at ILB behind Queen and Payton Wilson. This signing also reunites Bentley with Jabrill Peppers, as the duo previously played alongside each other in New England between 2022 and 2024.
Bentley was one of many players who auditioned for the organization earlier today. The team already made one previously reported addition in WR Isaiah Hodgins.
Couldn’t hurt. Also couldn’t be more invisible than Queen and Wilson have been.
Queen made a play or two last game before getting hurt. The defensive line really disappointed against the run pretty badly. Metcalf’s drops and Austin’s red zone miscue didn’t help on offense, but I thought that the defense really played poorly in the second half to lead to the huge Seattle run. That game really highlighted the porous front seven and the lack of second receiver pretty badly. Perhaps more two TE sets with Smith and Freiermuth could have helped, possibly coupled either big 13 personnel sets with Washington in the red zone. A big receiver in Metcalf and three TEs in short yardage offers some possibility with run plays and pass plays in that sort of scenario, one would think, that also helps cover for the uncertain depth at receiver past the lead spot. I dunno, just a possibility.