Steelers Reduce Roster To 75 Players
The Steelers added one player to their roster today, acquiring Josh Scobee in a trade with the Jaguars, but most of the day’s transactions for the team involve removing players onto reserve lists, or cutting them from the team entirely.
Here are the rest of the moves completed today by Pittsburgh in order to get the roster down to 75 players, according to the club’s transactions log:
Placed on reserve/PUP list:
- T Mike Adams
Placed on injured reserve:
- CB Senquez Golson
- K Garrett Hartley
Waived/injured:
- TE Cameron Clear
- DE Niko Davis
- TE Ray Hamilton
Cut:
- G Miles Dieffenbach
- WR Kenzel Doe
- WR C.J. Goodwin
- RB Braylon Heard
- DE Joe Kruger
- DT Joe Okafor
- OL Collin Rahrig
- CB Jordan Sullen
- T Kevin Whimpey
- S Ian Wild
Steelers Sign Seven To Futures Contracts
Like the Bengals and the Cardinals, the Steelers didn’t waste any time following their elimination from the playoffs to move forward on 2015 business, confirming today that they’ve signed seven practice squad players to reserve/futures contracts for 2015. Here’s the list of players locked up by Pittsburgh so far, via Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link):
- Rob Blanchflower, TE
- Kevin Fogg, CB
- C.J. Goodwin, WR
- Ethan Hemer, DL
- Howard Jones, LB
- Joe Kruger, DE
- Alejandro Villanueva, OL
The Steelers finished the season with a full 10-man practice squad, but so far wide receiver Tim Benford, running back LaDarius Perkins, and offensive lineman Ronald Patrick remain unsigned.
Sunday Transactions: AFC North
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC North teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions are noted below.
Additionally, as of 11:00am CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s AFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Baltimore Ravens:
- Signed to practice squad (officially announced): Tramain Jacobs, CB (via Aaron Wilson on Twitter); Ryan Jensen, OL (via Wilson on Twitter); Jamie Meder, DT (via Jeff Zrebiec on Twitter); Deji Olatoye, CB (via Zrebiec on Twitter); A.J. Pataiali’i, DT (via Wilson); John Simon, OLB (via Zrebiec on Twitter); Phillip Supernaw, TE (via Wilson on Twitter); Fitz Toussaint, RB (via Wilson on Twitter); Keith Wenning, QB (via Wilson)
Cincinnati Bengals:
- Signed to practice squad (officially announced): Dan France, T; Kevin Greene, TE; David King, DT; Colin Lockett, WR; Onterio McCalebb, CB; Sam Montgomery, DE; Trevor Robinson, G/C; Devon Still, DT; James Wilder, RB
Cleveland Browns:
- Claimed off waivers: LaRon Byrd, WR (via Aaron Wilson on Twitter); Caylin Hauptmann, G (via Tom Pelissero on Twitter); Ryan Seymour, T (via Ian Rapoport on Twitter); Glenn Winston, RB (via Matt Maiocco on Twitter)
- Cut: Rex Grossman, QB (via Pelissero on Twitter); Charles Johnson, WR (via Pelissero on Twitter)
- Signed to practice squad: Kiero Small, FB (via Wilson on Twitter); Connor Shaw, QB (via Mary Kay Cabot on Twitter)
Pittsburgh Steelers:
- Signed to practice squad (officially announced): Rob Blanchflower, TE; C.J. Goodwin, WR; Josh Harris, RB; Howard Jones, LB; Josh Mauro, DL; Derek Moye, WR; Shaquille Richardson, DB; Ross Ventrone, DB; Alejandro Villanueva, OL; Nick Williams, DL
Steelers Cut 15 Players
3:25pm: The Steelers have made their remaining six cuts, and Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link) has the list of players who are no longer on the team’s active roster:
- Brian Arnfelt, DL
- Chris Elkins, OL
- Hebron Fangupo, DL
- Luke Ingram, LS
- Emmanuel McCray, OL
- Tauren Poole, RB
7:52am: The Steelers have become the latest team to make a series of roster cuts in advance of today’s 75-man deadline. According to the club’s PR rep Burt Lauten (via Twitter), the Steelers parted ways with nine players this morning, meaning they’ll still need to make an additional six cuts by this afternoon. Here are the players no longer with the team:
- Jordan Dangerfield, DB
- C.J. Goodwin, WR
- Jordan Hall, RB
- Miguel Maysonet, RB
- Kashif Moore, WR
- Devin Smith, DB
- Vic So’oto, LB
- Lew Toler, DB
- Eric Waters, TE
AFC Notes: Colts, Steelers, Broncos, Williams
Let’s check in on a few of the latest notes from around the AFC, including a pair of teams making minor transactions….
- After waiving a pair of players yesterday, the Colts have filled those roster spots by signing two players today. Cornerback Johnny Adams and center FN Lutz have signed with the team, according to Craig Kelley of Colts.com (via Twitter). Adams spent some time with the Bills and Raiders in 2013, while Lutz went undrafted this year out of Indiana State.
- The Steelers swapped one wide receiver for another, according to PR man Burt Lauten, who tweets that the club has signed California alum C.J. Goodwin and cut Jasper Collins.
- Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wonders if the Steelers might look to bring back veteran Brett Keisel. Pittsburgh is quite thin at defensive end and the longtime Steeler could return as a backup and mentor to second-round draft pick Stephon Tuitt. Still, we heard yesterday from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Keisel isn’t currently willing to play for the veteran’s minimum.
- In his latest mailbag for the Denver Post, Mike Klis fields several Broncos-related questions from readers, discussing John Elway‘s ability to recruit free agents, the club’s 2014 draft class, and Andre Caldwell‘s role for 2014.
- When Tom Pelissero of USA Today suggested to free agent defensive tackle Kevin Williams that he views the Patriots as a potential fit for the veteran DT, Williams chuckled. “Well, give them a call,” he said. “Tell them to look me up.” Based on Williams’ comment, it sounds like New England hasn’t been in touch, but he confirmed that at least a couple teams have called and that he continues to weigh his options.