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Omar Khan Expects Cameron Heyward To Remain With Steelers ‘For Years To Come’

July 26th, 2024 at 1:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

One year remains on Cameron Heyward‘s contract, something which has led to speculation about his Steelers future. The three-time All-Pro wants a two-year extension to finish his career in Pittsburgh, but no agreement on that front is imminent.

When speaking to the media, general manager Oman Khan noted that no deals are close with respect to retaining any in-house players. The list of candidates for a new contract obviously includes Heyward, whose scheduled $16MM base salary is not guaranteed. The 35-year-old is set to carry a cap hit of over $22MM, and an extension could lower that amount. Team and player have not made progress in negotiations, but Khan remains confident a departure will not take place.

“Last year you know, we had a rough stretch there but I’m confident the way he works and you know Cam the the person the player obviously and I have no doubt that Cam has a lot of football,” Khan said (via the team’s website). “I think Cam has a lot of football left in him, and I expect him to be here for years to come.”

Heyward has made it clear at multiple points this offseason his preference would be to remain the Steelers, the only organization he has played for during his 13-year career. He has also publicly acknowledged his willingness to sign with a new team in 2025, however, and that possibility will remain if no deal can be worked out prior to the start of the campaign. The six-time Pro Bowler’s latest comments confirm the stance he has taken in recent months.

“Am I confident?” Heyward said (via Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). “I don’t like to go either way with that because you get your hopes up and something doesn’t happen. I’m just going to focus on being the best player I can be. This team needs my leadership and production and I look forward to doing it.”

Heyward was limited to 11 games and only a pair of sacks last year as he dealt with a groin injury. Offseason surgery has led to renewed expectations for the 2024 campaign, but much of his value will depend on his ability to return to his previous form. Pittsburgh has made draft investments along the defensive interior in recent years, though Heyward should still handle a heavy workload this season. Questions linger regarding his future, but he is currently focused on at least one more training camp in Pittsburgh.

“I’m not going to get my hopes up either way,” Heyward added. “I’m not going to put stock in that. I’ll focus on the things I can control. I can be productive. I can be healthy. If they believe in me, if I can play more, so be it. If they don’t, I’ll go somewhere else.”

Steelers Eyeing Pat Freiermuth Extension

July 25th, 2024 at 9:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

In trading Diontae Johnson, the Steelers moved their only remotely expensive offensive player off the payroll. A defense-heavy roster that features big-ticket deals for T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Cameron Heyward, Alex Highsmith and Patrick Queen also houses an offense without any eight-figure-per-year players.

While George Pickens resides as a potential extension candidate, his rookie deal runs through 2025. The Steelers are not planning any preseason adjustments to Russell Wilson or Justin Fields‘ contracts, and James Daniels said the team is not planning to give him an extension before its long-held Week 1 deadline. This leaves an interesting imbalance ahead of the 2024 season, but one of Pittsburgh’s skill-position players does appear on the radar for a new deal.

Pat Freiermuth is coming off a down season, but The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly notes the Steelers have the fourth-year tight end firmly in their long-term plans (subscription required). A deal should be done before Week 1, per Kaboly. Otherwise, the Steelers — who have not negotiated contracts in-season in more than three decades — would need to wait until Freiermuth is on the cusp of free agency to complete a deal.

Arthur Smith‘s Falcons offense enjoyed production from its Kyle Pitts–Jonnu Smith tandem last season; the duo combined for 1,249 yards. Johnson’s departure leaves the Steelers thin at receiver, with the likes of Quez Watkins and Van Jefferson in the mix for the WR2 role — barring an addition before the season — as third-rounder Roman Wilson develops. Pittsburgh’s track record for developing wideouts notwithstanding, it is certainly possible Freiermuth is needed to be the 2024 team’s top Pickens sidekick.

A 2021 second-round pick, Freiermuth caught seven touchdowns in Ben Roethlisberger‘s final season and then totaled a career-high 732 yards (with two TDs) in 2022. A hamstring injury cost Freiermuth five games last season, and he finished with just 308 yards. Freiermuth has also sustained three concussions as a pro. Pro Football Focus viewed the Penn State alum as a top-10 tight end in each of his first two years, however, and the Steelers will again depend on him as a run blocker in another offense set to rely on Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.

While David Njoku and Evan Engram topped $13MM per year as franchise players, Freiermuth’s inconsistent production would seemingly move him to a slightly lower tier. The Steelers could potentially shoot for a deal between Cole Kmet‘s $12.5MM-AAV accord and Hunter Henry‘s three-year, $27MM pact authorized in March.

The Steelers added Freiermuth in hopes he could become a long-sought-after long-term option post-Heath Miller. The Steelers had cycled through tight ends — from Eric Ebron to Vance McDonald to Jesse James — since Miller’s 2016 retirement. It would appear the team is convinced Freiermuth can be that player. A commitment over the next six weeks would reflect that belief.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Faalele, Steelers

July 25th, 2024 at 6:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns wrapping their Amari Cooper negotiations without an extension places Jerry Jeudy as the team’s long-term centerpiece at wide receiver. The recent trade acquisition, who received $41MM guaranteed at signing, is locked in through 2027. Cooper, 30, received $5MM in incentives but is positioned to play for a new contract this season.

In guaranteeing Cooper $20MM in 2024 — money he was almost definitely going to see once his salary became guaranteed in early September — the Browns moved $18.79MM of his salary into a signing bonus, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes, with two void years added. If Cooper is not extended by the start of the 2025 league year, the Browns would incur a $22.6MM dead money hit. For 2024, however, Cleveland created $15MM in cap space, per Spotrac. Despite skipping minicamp, Cooper said he was not considering a training camp holdout.

“Honestly, it wasn’t really about money,” Cooper said, via the Akron Beacon Journal’s Chris Easterling. “It was more so in the language of my contract when I signed a five-year deal with the Cowboys. Only two years is guaranteed. This is the last year of that deal, but it isn’t guaranteed until the week of the first game.”

This agreement seems a small victory for a player of Cooper’s caliber, especially after the former first-rounder established a new career-high in receiving yards (1,250) to help a depleted offense last season. The Browns have an added motivation to extend Cooper before next March now, with the looming void year-driven cap penalty working in his favor.

Here is the latest from Cleveland and the rest of the AFC North:

  • Greg Newsome began Browns camp on the active/NFI list, and Kevin Stefanski shed some light on why. The fourth-year cornerback underwent hamstring surgery Thursday, and cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot notes the team hopes to have him back by Week 1. Newsome landing on the NFI list as opposed to the PUP list indicates he sustained the injury away from the team’s facility. Stefanski did not specify when the injury occurred. Dalvin Tomlinson, who is on the Browns’ active/PUP list, is set for arthroscopic knee surgery Friday. The team hopes, per Easterling, the veteran DT is back by Week 1. Tomlinson and the Browns decided this week surgery would be necessary. Both players were key starters for Jim Schwartz‘s No. 1-ranked defense last season.
  • Third-year Ravens O-lineman Daniel Faalele‘s best shot to start this season may come at right guard. Despite being a tackle fill-in during his first two seasons, the 6-foot-8, 380-pound blocker is being given extensive work at RG, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (subscription required). Faalele is primarily competing with Ben Cleveland and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu at RG, per Zrebiec. John Harbaugh said the Ravens will move O-linemen around during camp, as Cleveland saw tackle reps this offseason, but the 17th-year HC confirmed the team is giving Faalele a shot to be a rather tall guard early in camp. It would also not surprise to see Faalele be given a shot at right tackle, where he played 157 snaps last season. Baltimore needs three new O-line starters after guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson leaving in free agency and the team trading Morgan Moses to the Jets.
  • Eddie Jackson‘s Ravens deal is a one-year pact worth $1.5MM, Wilson notes. The longtime Bears starter received $1MM guaranteed. While this is a steep reduction from Jackson’s previous Chicago extension (four years, $58.4MM), he is far from the only experienced safety to accept a significant pay cut this offseason.
  • Tyler Matakevich‘s Steelers contract will be worth the veteran minimum, Wilson adds. The ninth-year linebacker will be due $1.21MM in base salary, but the team has not guaranteed its former seventh-rounder anything.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/24/24

July 24th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Placed on active/NFI list: T Gottlieb Ayedze, WR Shaquan Davis
  • Placed on active/PUP list: S Sydney Brown

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

In New Orleans, Young has officially made the comeback from offseason neck surgery, passing his physical today alongside Olave, who is no stranger to offseason injuries.

Treadwell will join his eighth team in nine years after only making one catch in five games with the Ravens last season.

Brown is working his way back from an ACL tear that he suffered in the final game of his rookie season last year, so it’s no surprise that he will start the offseason on PUP.

QB Notes: Tua, Rodgers, Daniels, Steelers

July 24th, 2024 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tua Tagovailoa is not holding in, separating the Dolphins‘ top negotiation from multiple others around the NFL. This includes Jordan Love‘s Packers arrangement, which has become a hold-in situation. Despite Tagovailoa having a longer track record than Love, the fifth-year passer went through Dolphins workouts Wednesday. This did come with a notable exception. Tagovailoa took only two reps (both handoffs) in Dolphins team drills to open camp, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa’s camp workload — absent an extension — would compare to OTAs; the lefty did not go through team drills then or during minicamp. We heard Monday this would likely be the route Tagovailoa takes.

The Dolphins have been negotiating with Tua for months, and while some optimism has emerged, Miami’s QB1 has turned down at least one offer and may have seen the team dig in on a price south of Trevor Lawrence‘s $55MM-per-year deal. Lawrence receiving $142MM may also be much higher than the Dolphins want to go. McDaniel said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) both sides are “relentlessly” working on this agreement. The parties still have time to hammer out a deal before the season, but the longer this goes, the closer Tua comes to carrying a lofty franchise tag number (upwards of $40MM) on Miami’s 2025 cap sheet.

Here is the latest QB news coming out of training camp:

  • Aaron Rodgers confirmed a trip to Egypt indeed led to his missing minicamp and confirmed the Jets fined him for the unexcused absences. Rodgers has been criticized for a lack of leadership by skipping the offseason’s only mandatory workout, but he said his relationship with Robert Saleh has been unaffected. “I’m an adult; I knew what I was getting into,” Rodgers said, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “I knew the fine that was coming and also knew how much I wanted to be in Egypt. I wish there hadn’t been a conflict scheduling-wise, but it was what it was.” Rodgers, who said be based the trip on the Jets’ 2023 offseason schedule, had shown up for OTAs prior to the abrupt — to the public, at least — departure.
  • Jayden Daniels does not have Commanders first-string reps to himself just yet; the No. 2 overall pick is splitting them with free agency addition Marcus Mariota, the Washington Post’s Sam Fortier notes. While Dan Quinn is labeling this a QB competition, Fortier cautions that Daniels is all but assured of the starting job. This follows a report that pointed to the Commanders indeed feeling no real reason to hold back the 2023 Heisman winner by giving Mariota bridge work.
  • Although the Daniels-Mariota split may deprive the highly touted rookie from early reps, Washington is holding an actual battle for the No. 3 spot. The team is pitting rookie UDFA Sam Hartman against veteran Jeff Driskel, Fortier adds. The former Notre Dame starter, who has a safety net via the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions’ recent draft choice, played behind Driskel to start camp. It is not yet clear if the Commanders plan to keep three QBs, but the winner of this battle would stand to at least be the team’s emergency option in the event only two are rostered.
  • Prior to the USFL and XFL merging, Ben DiNucci played in the former league’s second season and spent last year as the Broncos’ third-stringer. The recent Russell Wilson teammate worked out for the 13-year vet’s new team this week, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who notes the Steelers brought in the veteran. Pittsburgh has Kyle Allen in place behind Wilson and Justin Fields presently.

Steelers Bring Back LB Tyler Matakevich

July 17th, 2024 at 4:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

After four seasons in Buffalo, Tyler Matakevich is coming back to where his NFL journey began. The Steelers announced a reunion with the veteran linebacker Wednesday. It is a one-year deal.

Role players regularly land deals with teams around the time training camps start, and Matakevich having played four seasons in Pittsburgh stands to help his cause when it comes to landing on the team’s 53-man roster (or 16-man practice squad). The Steelers drafted Matakevich in the 2016 seventh round. This marks the second straight year he has signed a one-year contract.

Matakevich, 31, returns to a team that has made major changes at linebacker since he was last in town. The team’s GM (Omar Khan) and DC (Teryl Austin) have changed as well, though Mike Tomlin is going into his 18th season as the team’s head coach. Pittsburgh signed Patrick Queen this offseason and returns 2023 free agency pickup Elandon Roberts. Cole Holcomb, however, is still recovering from the serious knee injury he suffered last November. The Steelers have not re-signed 2023 starter Kwon Alexander, either, though they did draft NC State’s Payton Wilson in Round 3.

A starting role should not be considered likely for Matakevich, who has made his NFL living on special teams. The Temple alum has started one game in eight seasons, but he has missed just two career contests and lined up as an ST regular throughout. Matakevich has hit the 80% snap rate on special teams three times, including in 2021 and 2023 with the Bills.

In 17 games last season, Matakevich played just 16 defensive snaps. But he has not dipped below the 75% ST snap rate since 2018. The ninth-year vet seems a good bet to avoid the practice squad, having been an active-roster player throughout his career. The Steelers would have that option, however, though they could also have a roster spot due to a Holcomb placement on the reserve/PUP list. With the 2023 UFA’s availability for the season in doubt, a spot does appear open. To make room on their 90-man roster, the Steelers waived safety Jalen Elliott.

Largest 2024 Cap Hits: Defense

July 17th, 2024 at 2:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

As veteran report dates for training camps near, NFL payrolls are largely set. Extension- and trade-related matters remain, but as far as high cap numbers go, the list will not change much between now and Week 1. After we ran down the top cap charges on the offensive side of the ball last week, here are the highest 2024 figures tied to defenders:

  1. Maxx Crosby, EDGE (Raiders): $30.48MM
  2. T.J. Watt, EDGE (Steelers): $30.42MM
  3. Kenny Clark, DL (Packers): $27.49MM
  4. Joey Bosa, EDGE (Chargers): $26.11MM
  5. Khalil Mack, EDGE (Chargers): $25.39MM
  6. Montez Sweat, EDGE (Bears): $25.09MM
  7. Harold Landry, EDGE (Titans): $23.8MM
  8. Jaire Alexander, CB (Packers): $23.49MM
  9. Marlon Humphrey, CB (Ravens): $22.88MM
  10. Tremaine Edmunds, LB (Bears): $22.44MM
  11. Cameron Heyward, DL (Steelers): $22.41MM
  12. Jeffery Simmons, DL (Titans): $21.65MM
  13. Daron Payne, DL (Commanders): $21.61MM
  14. Jonathan Allen, DL (Commanders): $21.44MM
  15. Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Steelers): $21.36MM
  16. Vita Vea, DL (Buccaneers): $20.97MM
  17. DeMarcus Lawrence, EDGE (Cowboys): $20.46MM
  18. Quinnen Williams, DL (Jets): $20.4MM
  19. Grady Jarrett, DL (Falcons): $20.38MM
  20. Myles Garrett, EDGE (Browns): $20.17MM
  21. Trey Hendrickson, EDGE (Bengals): $20.17MM
  22. Derwin James, S (Chargers): $19.86MM
  23. Budda Baker, S (Cardinals): $19.03MM
  24. Charvarius Ward, CB (49ers): $18.4MM
  25. Marcus Williams, S (Ravens): $18.03MM

While a handful of quarterbacks are set to break the single-player record for cap hit — after this offseason’s $30.6MM cap spike — this year’s defensive hits do not check in on that level. Crosby and Watt are at $30MM, but those numbers do not match last year’s top defender cap hit — attached to then-Giants D-lineman Leonard Williams ($32.26MM). With Aaron Donald now in the dead money category following his retirement and Chris Jones extended, some new faces have climbed toward the top of this list.

The Raiders gave Crosby a $6MM 2024 pay bump to reward a former Day 3 pick who has unlocked another level while attached to an extension signed in 2022. Rather than greenlight a new deal for their top defender, the Raiders moved money around on his through-2026 extension to accommodate a rising market. This season now marks the highest cap hit on this Crosby contract.

Although the Chargers worked out pay-cut agreements with Bosa and Mack, both edge rushers are still among the most expensive — cap-wise — players in the league. The March reductions, however, moved Bosa’s cap number down from $36.6MM and lowered Mack’s from $38.5MM. With James tied to the second-highest 2024 safety figure, Jim Harbaugh‘s team — while clearing out costs on offense — remains among the top defensive spenders.

Two years remain on Watt’s deal, which has paid out its guaranteed money. With Nick Bosa having secured a defender-record extension and lower-production players — compared to Watt, at least — Brian Burns and Josh Allen surpassing the future Hall of Famer’s 2021 extension, a third Steelers-Watt agreement will likely be rumored soon. Heyward has expressed interest in a fourth Steelers contract, which would reduce his lofty cap figure, but the accomplished veteran has not heard much from the team’s side on this matter.

The Packers have begun talks with Clark on what would be a third extension. His current $17.5MM-per-year contract has fallen to 15th among active D-linemen. A new deal would update that figure for a reliable starter while reducing his 2024 cap hit. Despite rumors about the Pack separating from Alexander coming out in December, GM Brian Gutekunst shot down any such move associated with the league’s highest-paid corner.

Baker requested a trade last year, eyeing a deal closer to the James-Fitzpatrick level. The longtime Cardinal DB is in the final year of an extension agreed to back in 2020. Although the Cardinals are rebuilding, Baker has remained part of Jonathan Gannon‘s team. He expressed hope to stay in Arizona beyond 2024, and the Cardinals have the contract-year safety — the team’s longest-tenured starter, now that D.J. Humphries is off the roster — on the team going into his age-28 season.

Steelers LB Cole Holcomb In Danger Of Missing 2024 Season?

July 14th, 2024 at 3:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Cole Holcomb proved to be an effective contributor following the Steelers’ efforts at reshaping their linebacking corps last offseason. The sixth-year veteran served as a full-time starter before his debut Pittsburgh campaign came to an abrupt end.

Holcomb suffered a major knee injury in November, shutting him down for the rest of the season. An update last month provided by Mark Kaboly of The Athletic indicated the 27-year-old was a likely candidate to begin the season on the reserve/PUP list. That designation would require at least a four-week absence to begin the season, but the latest on his situation is not encouraging.

Kaboly writes that any contributions the Steelers receive from Holcomb in 2024 “would be a bonus” (subscription required). That leaves open the possibility of the former fifth-rounder missing most or all of the campaign, a development which would be acutely felt at the second level of Pittsburgh’s defense. Holcomb signed a three-year, $18MM deal last spring and as such faced considerable expectations upon arrival. The former Commander racked up 54 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles across eight games with his new team prior to the injury.

Of course, the linebacker spot has received further attention from the Steelers in recent months. Pittsburgh signed Patrick Queen in free agency to provide a new face in the starting lineup. The team also added Payton Wilson in the third round of the draft. The NC State alum enters the league with injury concerns but high upside given his college production.

In addition to those two, Pittsburgh has the likes of Elandon Roberts and Mark Robinson in place at the LB spot. The former was also a 2023 free agent signing, and he logged a heavy workload in his debut Steelers season. Roberts totaled 101 tackles and 2.5 sacks, and he could reprise a starting role alongside Queen if Holcomb were to miss considerable time. Robinson primarily played on special teams last year, and further injuries on the depth chart would likely be needed for him to take on notable defensive responsibilities.

Once training camp opens, the Steelers will make a decision with respect to placing Holcomb on the active/PUP list. Players can be activated from there at any time, but it appears availability of any kind close to the start of the 2024 campaign (and perhaps well beyond that point) should not be expected.

Jacoby Jones Passes Away

July 14th, 2024 at 10:00am CST by Rory Parks

Former NFL wide receiver and return specialist Jacoby Jones has passed away, as ESPN’s Jamison Hensley was first to report. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports that Jones died overnight in his sleep in his Houston-area home, and that the cause of death is not yet known. Jones was just 40 years old.

Selected by the Texans in the third round of the 2007 draft, Jones eventually became a complementary weapon on Houston’s offense, catching 109 balls for 1,511 yards and 11 scores over the 2009-11 seasons. However, he made his mark as a return man almost immediately, and over his first five years in the league, he averaged over 10 yards per punt return three times and took back three punts and one kickoff for touchdowns.

His time with the Texans came to something of an unceremonious end, as he muffed a punt in a divisional round game against the Ravens in 2011, which Baltimore recovered at Houston’s 2-yard line. The Ravens converted the turnover into a touchdown and went on to win the game by a 20-13 score.

Coincidentally, Jones signed with Baltimore the following offseason, a transaction that proved to be invaluable for player and team alike. While he again enjoyed an important ancillary role on offense, his return skills were instrumental to the Ravens’ success in 2012, as he took back two kickoffs and a punt for touchdowns and led the league with a 30.7 yards-per-return rate on kickoffs.

His performance in that season’s playoffs, though, is what cemented his legacy, particularly in Baltimore. In an upset win over the top-seeded, Peyton Manning-led Broncos in Denver, Jones was on the receiving end of a Joe Flacco bomb late in the game, with the Ravens trailing by a touchdown and facing a a 3rd-and-3 on their own 30 with 42 seconds left in regulation and no timeouts. Jones got behind the Denver secondary, caught the Flacco pass, and scampered into the endzone, blowing a kiss to the stunned crowd as he did so.

Following what became known as the “Mile High Miracle,” the Ravens would go on to defeat the Broncos in double overtime and eventually advanced to Super Bowl XLVII. Near the end of the first half of the team’s win over the 49ers in that contest, which was held in Jones’ hometown of New Orleans, Jones caught another deep Flacco pass, falling to the turf to secure the catch and then getting to his feet to elude San Francisco defenders on his way to paydirt. He then returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a 108-yard touchdown, all part of a 34-31 victory for Baltimore.

Jones, who earned First Team All-Pro honors for his 2012 performance, played for the Ravens for two more seasons, adding another kickoff return TD along the way. He played nine games between the Steelers and Chargers in 2015, and he officially announced his retirement in September 2017.

Wilson passes along statements from the Ravens and head coach John Harbaugh, who was in his fifth year as Baltimore’s HC when the club captured Super Bowl XLVII.

We at PFR pass along our condolences to Jones’ family and friends and his former teammates and coaches, many of whom have taken to social media to share their memories of a gregarious, affable, and often electric player.

Steelers UDFA Looking To Fill In For Cameron Sutton

July 13th, 2024 at 5:53pm CST by Ely Allen

The Steelers defense was dealt a blow when the league leveled an eight-game suspension on presumed starting nickelback Cameron Sutton. With Sutton out for just under half of the season, finding someone else to step in becomes crucial to the secondary. During a deep dive into the defense, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly looked into some likely options to start the season as the team’s top slot cornerback.

After six years in Pittsburgh, Sutton was not a part of the team’s defense in 2023 after signing a three-year deal to head to Detroit. Shortly after his first season with the Lions, though, an arrest warrant was issued for Sutton as he faced a charge of domestic battery by strangulation. The next day, the Lions cut ties with Sutton. Sutton met with his former team a little over a month later, eventually signing with the Steelers back in June on a one-year deal for the veteran minimum.

The Steelers likely took Sutton on knowing that he’d be suspended by the league for some period of time. Until he can make his reappearance for Pittsburgh in Week 10, though, the Steelers will need to fill his role.

To that purpose, the team is looking mainly in two directions. One option is veteran cornerback Josiah Scott, who has spent the last three years with the Eagles after getting traded by the Jaguars following his rookie season. Scott isn’t unfamiliar with Pittsburgh, spending two weeks on the practice squad last year before returning to Philadelphia. In the two seasons before bouncing around last year, Scott started four of 29 game appearances for the Eagles. Kaboly notes that Scott was running as the first-team nickelback early in the spring before the team added Sutton.

Another player has appeared as an under the radar option to take over the starting job, though. Undrafted rookie cornerback Beanie Bishop has emerged as a new favorite for the job, according to Kaboly. Starting his collegiate career at Western Kentucky, Bishop didn’t start a game for the Hilltoppers until getting a single start in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season.

He became a full-time starter as a fourth-year redshirt sophomore, leading the team with three interceptions. Bishop transferred to Minnesota the following year, playing in every game for the Golden Gophers. He transferred one more time for his final season of eligibility in order to be a full-time starter at West Virginia. With the Mountaineers, Bishop led the nation with an incredible 20 pass breakups and led his team with four interceptions, earning both first- and second-team All-American honors and first-team All-Big 12 honors.

Bishop’s success has continued so far in his NFL career. Signing with the Steelers after surprisingly going undrafted, Bishop has made an impact early on in the offseason. He seemed to be a candidate to earn a roster spot as an undrafted rookie with lots of playing time early into organized team activities, but Kaboly notes that Bishop even nabbed the starting role as the team concluded mandatory minicamp.

With Sutton out for the first half of the season, things are shaping up to give Bishop an opportunity to make a big impact as an undrafted rookie in 2024. He’s looking likely to have a guaranteed roster spot right now, but a good training camp could book a starting job for Bishop to start the year.

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