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Pittsburgh Steelers News & Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/17/22

May 17th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Steelers Sign 14 Undrafted Free Agents

May 16th, 2022 at 10:31pm CST by Ben Levine

The Steelers have added 14 undrafted rookies to their roster:

Tucker is an intriguing prospect. Standing at 6’6″ and weighing 338 pounds, the North Carolina product undoubtedly has the size to compete at the NFL level. During his senior season, Tucker started all 13 games for the Tar Heels, helping guide an offense that averaged 468 yards per game. Owens also provides some intrigue with his ability to play multiple positions on the offensive line.

Steele and Watts could find themselves competing for a spot at the end of the depth chart. Steele finished his career at South Carolina with 95 tackles and three interceptions, while Watts had a 2021 campaign that saw him compiled 43 tackles and one pick.

Steelers Release OLB John Simon

May 16th, 2022 at 5:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

A two-year starter for the Patriots and a nine-year NFL veteran, John Simon saw another team hand him walking papers Monday. A few months after the Titans cut the veteran edge defender, the Steelers did the same.

Pittsburgh had signed Simon to a reserve/futures deal in late January, after he played in one game with the team last season. The Steelers have questions behind their T.J. Watt–Alex Highsmith starting outside linebacker duo, but for the time being, younger players are positioned to answer them.

Simon, 31, has started 52 career games, played for six teams — the Ravens, Texans, Colts, Patriots, Titans and Steelers — and won a Super Bowl as a role player with the 2018 Pats. After the Colts bailed on Simon’s three-year, $14MM deal in 2018, the former Ravens fourth-rounder began that season unemployed. But he caught on with the Pats and became a full-time contributor by 2019. From 2019-20, Simon started 28 games with New England. The Titans signed the Ohio State product just ahead of training camp last year. He will look to catch on with yet another team before this year’s training camps open.

The Steelers have Genard Avery and ex-Broncos seventh-rounder Derrek Tuszka as potential backup edge options, and the team drafted Mark Robinson in the seventh round out of Ole Miss. It would still make sense if Pittsburgh looked into other edges this offseason, should its lower-profile lot of backups not impress.

Pittsburgh also waived wideout Rico Bussey and kicker Sam Sloman and waived rookie cornerback Bryce Watts with an injury designation. Sloman kicked in eight games for the Rams and Titans in 2020 but did not see action last year.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/13/22

May 13th, 2022 at 7:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s minor moves around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears 

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Signed: CB Abu Daramy-Swaray

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks 

Washington Commanders

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/13/22

May 13th, 2022 at 5:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Several more mid- and late-round picks agreed to terms on their four-year rookie contracts Friday. Here are the latest agreements:

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

  • LB Malcolm Rodriguez (sixth round, Oklahoma State)
  • LB James Houston (sixth round, Jackson State)

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers Sign Round 2 WR George Pickens

May 13th, 2022 at 4:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers continued their trend of Day 2 wide receiver investments with George Pickens, and the former Georgia pass catcher is now under contract. Pickens is the first Steelers 2022 draftee to sign his four-year rookie deal.

Pittsburgh let former Day 2 picks J.J. Smith-Schuster and James Washington walk in free agency, turning instead to Pickens, who will join ex-second-round pick Chase Claypool and ex-third-rounder Diontae Johnson as the Steelers’ top targets. Given the development of non-first-round receivers in Pittsburgh in the fairly recent past — a list that also includes Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders — Pickens will be expected to contribute early.

Some teams had Pickens off their respective draft boards due to character concerns, and the three-year Georgia cog fell in the draft due to the ACL tear he sustained during spring workouts last year. But Pickens did not sit out his junior season, rehabbing to be a contributor late in the Bulldogs’ national championship campaign. Prior to the ACL setback, Pickens was poised to make a run at the 2022 first round. He totaled more than 1,200 receiving yards and notched 14 touchdown receptions as an underclassman. This year, the 6-foot-3 target ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.

Pittsburgh’s Pickens pick may also be indicative of potential plans with Johnson, who is going into a contract year. The Steelers did re-sign Smith-Schuster to a one-year deal in 2021 but have famously been stingy with second contracts for receivers. Brown’s two extensions mark the exception. Pickens and fourth-round pick Calvin Austin III supply rookie-contract talent here. Johnson has said he wants to stay with the Steelers beyond his first contract. Two years remain on Claypool’s rookie deal.

Steelers Conduct Second GM Interviews With Brandon Hunt, Omar Khan

May 12th, 2022 at 4:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers’ thorough general manager search has seen a few outside candidates receive second interviews. Ryan Cowden (Titans), John Spytek, Andy Weidl (Eagles) and former Bills GM Doug Whaley have met with the Steelers twice about their GM vacancy.

The team still has two of its own staffers as candidates, however. Omar Khan and Brandon Hunt have gone through second interviews for Kevin Colbert‘s old job, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. These two surfaced as the initial candidates for the job and remain in the mix several months later.

Khan, who serves as the Steelers’ vice president of football and business administration, has been with the team since 2001 and has served as a central figure in the team’s contract negotiations. Other teams have reached out to him about their GM vacancies over the past two offseasons. The Bears met with Khan this year, and the Panthers and Texans interviewed him in 2021. Khan was on the doorstep of being hired as Houston’s GM, but the franchise changed course and pivoted back to Nick Caserio at the 11th hour.

Hunt is up for two jobs in Pennsylvania, being in contention for a high-ranking gig in the Eagles’ front office. The Steelers’ pro scouting director, Hunt is in his second stint with the team. He began interning for the team in 2005 and returned in 2010. Hunt also met with the Raiders about their GM vacancy this offseason.

Here is how the Steelers’ expansive GM search looks as of Thursday afternoon:

  • Morocco Brown, college scouting director (Colts): Interviewed
  • Ran Carthon, director of player personnel (49ers): Interviewed
  • Ryan Cowden, vice president of player personnel (Titans): Conducted second interview
  • Ed Dodds, assistant general manager (Colts): Interviewed 2/4
  • Joe Hortiz, director of player personnel (Ravens): Interviewed
  • Brandon Hunt, pro scouting director (Steelers): Conducted second interview
  • Omar Khan, vice president of football and business administration (Steelers): Conducted second interview
  • Dan Morgan, assistant general manager (Panthers): Interviewed
  • Jerry Reese, former general manager (Giants): Interviewed
  • Louis Riddick, former director of pro personnel (Eagles): Interviewed
  • Rick Spielman, former general manager (Vikings): Interviewed
  • John Spytek, director of player personnel (Buccaneers): Conducted second interview
  • Andy Weidl, vice president of player personnel (Eagles): Conducted second interview
  • Doug Whaley, vice president of player personnel (XFL): Conducted second interview
  • John Wojciechowski, co-director of player personnel (Packers): Interviewed
  • JoJo Wooden, director of player personnel (Chargers): Interviewed

Steelers To Conduct Second GM Interview With Andy Weidl

May 12th, 2022 at 11:53am CST by Adam La Rose

The list of general manager candidates receiving second looks from the Steelers continues to grow. Pittsburgh is set to interview Eagles vice president of player personnel Andy Weidl again, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter link).

A Pittsburgh native, Weidl began his front office career with the Steelers in 1998 as a player personnel assistant. His time with the team was short-lived, as he went on to have scouting stints with both the Saints and Ravens. In 2016, he joined the Eagles’ front office, ultimately being promoted to his current role three years later.

Weidl was named an interviewee in February as the Steelers cast a wide net in search of Kevin Colbert‘s replacement. His connection to the Steelers, and success the Eagles enjoyed during his tenure there, make him a logical candidate for the vacant GM position. If he were to leave, he would continue a significant exodus of key front office personnel suffered by the Eagles this offseason. The list of executives moving on to other franchises includes Brandon Brown, Ian Cunningham, Catherine Raiche and scouting director Casey Weidl, Andy’s brother.

This news adds Weidl to the pool of candidates receiving extra consideration, a group which now has four members. Here is an updated look at the search:

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/11/22

May 11th, 2022 at 7:40pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Claimed (from Giants): TE Rysen John
  • Waived/failed physical: TE Jesper Horsted

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Claimed (from Colts): TE Eli Wolf
  • Waived: WR Chris Blair

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

  • Claimed (from Lions): TE Matthew Sokol

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/10/22

May 10th, 2022 at 9:21pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor transactions:

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

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