Roster Moves

[raycafan]

Steelers trim roster to 79
Posted 23 minutes ago
Team still needs to get to 75-man roster by Tuesday at 4 p.m.
The Steelers have trimmed their roster to 79 players prior to Tuesday’s league-mandated deadline of 75 players, the team announced.



The Steelers have placed offensive tackle Jerald Hawkins on the Reserve/Injured List, while quarterback Dustin Vaughan has been Waived/Injured. In addition, the team has released linebackers Jordan Zumwalt and Mike Reilly, wide receivers Issac Blakeney and Levi Norwood, tight end Michael Cooper, defensive end Giorgio Newberry, defensive tackle Khaynin Mosley-Smith, and cornerback Julian Whigham.



Pittsburgh must reduce its roster to 75 players by Tuesday at 4 p.m.

[Shoe]

Steelers trim roster to 79
Posted 23 minutes ago
Team still needs to get to 75-man roster by Tuesday at 4 p.m.
The Steelers have trimmed their roster to 79 players prior to Tuesday’s league-mandated deadline of 75 players, the team announced.



The Steelers have placed offensive tackle Jerald Hawkins on the Reserve/Injured List, while quarterback Dustin Vaughan has been Waived/Injured. In addition, the team has released linebackers Jordan Zumwalt and Mike Reilly, wide receivers Issac Blakeney and Levi Norwood, tight end Michael Cooper, defensive end Giorgio Newberry, defensive tackle Khaynin Mosley-Smith, and cornerback Julian Whigham.



Pittsburgh must reduce its roster to 75 players by Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Money Pit!

[RuthlessBurgher]

Money Pit!

What does a 30 year old Tom Hanks movie have to do with this?

Splash!

Bachelor Party!

;)

[Oviedo]

S and cornerback Julian Whigham.



Pittsburgh must reduce its roster to 75 players by Tuesday at 4 p.m.

How bad must you be to be a CB and get cut by us????

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Every year there seems to be a guy who is drafted who everyone seems to root for. A mid round type pick who is not athletic, gritty, and seems to come with his own message board cheering section. This guy is usually either a linebacker or a receiver.

I guess that now that Tyler Matakevich is looking good, that job is now taken so there is no more room for Jordan Zumwalt.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Every year there seems to be a guy who is drafted who everyone seems to root for. A mid round type pick who is not athletic, gritty, and seems to come with his own message board cheering section. This guy is usually either a linebacker or a receiver.

I guess that now that Tyler Matakevich is looking good, that job is now taken so there is no more room for Jordan Zumwalt.

It helps to have a quality nickname like Dirty Red. I like me some Tyler Matakevich, even though I understand he has his limitations, there should be a role for him on the team. Never understood what people saw in Zumwalt though. Never stood out in any facet of the game and was always injured.

[RuthlessBurgher]

The most concerning thing to me is rookie OT Jerald Hawkins to IR. I figured our tackles on the final 53 would be Gilbert, Villenueva, Harris, and Hawkins. With Hawkins now on IR, if Gilbert's injury is anything serious, then we'd have to start Villenueva at LT and Harris at RT and the only guys backing them up right now would be Matt Feiler and Wade Hansen (we lost Brian Mihalik, who I liked more as a developmental prospect than Feiler or Hansen, to injury last week). Maybe now we keep Wallace, Hubbard, and Finney and give one of them snaps at tackle as well.

[Shoe]

Every year there seems to be a guy who is drafted who everyone seems to root for. A mid round type pick who is not athletic, gritty, and seems to come with his own message board cheering section. This guy is usually either a linebacker or a receiver.

I guess that now that Tyler Matakevich is looking good, that job is now taken so there is no more room for Jordan Zumwalt.

Yeah, I was thinking about this (every year, there is a camp sensation who becomes a minor celebrity), and wondering who this year's was. In years past, it was guys like Stefan Logan, Redzone Redman, even AB back when he was new, who actually made it and did a few things. And there were names who did some things, but couldn't make it through. I remember a couple years back, there was a kid OL they were calling Chicken Nugget (was good enough to get a camp nickname). I'm at a loss, but I think there were others like this...

Anyway, this year seems like Dirty Red and the little WR they're likening to AB!

[squidkid]

a 2016 steal of the draft replacing the 2015 steal of the draft

[Iron City Inc.]

Fort, Johnson and Matakevich all battling for what should only be 2 roster spots. It's going to be a decision where special team play will play a huge factor and all 3 look decent as special team guys. Based on what I have seen Matakevich has a good chance to stick since he has practiced inside and out (position flexibility) and just doesn't take false steps.

[fordfixer]

What does a 30 year old Tom Hanks movie have to do with this?

Splash!

Bachelor Party!

;)
Big....::::::

[Oviedo]

Fort, Johnson and Matakevich all battling for what should only be 2 roster spots. It's going to be a decision where special team play will play a huge factor and all 3 look decent as special team guys. Based on what I have seen Matakevich has a good chance to stick since he has practiced inside and out (position flexibility) and just doesn't take false steps.

I'm betting its Fort and Matakevich fighting for one spot. Johnson has too much experience and special team credentials. I think he is safe

[RuthlessBurgher]

Does Fort still have P.S. eligibility?

[Slapstick]

Does Fort still have P.S. eligibility?

I believe he does. The NFL changed the PS rules to allow 4 off the 10 players to have up to 2 accrued seasons...I don't think Fort has even that...

[BradshawsHairdresser]

I suspect Matakevich would be poached if the Steelers put him on the PS. I like Fort and Johnson, but long-term, I wonder if Matakevich wouldn't have more upside. I think he could step in now and help out on STs.

I also think they might lose Feeney if they try to hide him on the PS. But I don't think he's ready to contribute much on the field, so I don't see any way they can keep him on the 53.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I suspect Matakevich would be poached if the Steelers put him on the PS. I like Fort and Johnson, but long-term, I wonder if Matakevich wouldn't have more upside. I think he could step in now and help out on STs.

I also think they might lose Feeney if they try to hide him on the PS. But I don't think he's ready to contribute much on the field, so I don't see any way they can keep him on the 53.

I think Feeney and Matakevich both make the 53 man roster, but only Dirty Red gets a helmet on game day for special teams purposes (I'd say that Feeney would be mostly one of the game day inactives until injuries hit at least). I don't think Ayers makes the 53 man roster, but he should be able to pass through to the practice squad. Rogers should be able to return punts with Coates and Touissant back for kick returns.

[phillyesq]

It helps to have a quality nickname like Dirty Red. I like me some Tyler Matakevich, even though I understand he has his limitations, there should be a role for him on the team. Never understood what people saw in Zumwalt though. Never stood out in any facet of the game and was always injured.

Zumwalt had a college highlight where he absolutely lit somebody up. I think that was the appeal, with the hopes that he'd become a core special teams player.

I agree with you on Matakevich. I watched a lot of Temple football, and I'll fully acknowledge that there is significant homerism in my rooting for Matakevich. In addition to great instincts, the guy was an absolute leader. He's not the biggest or fastest, but he just makes plays. I could see him, at a minimum, becoming a core special teams guy. I also think that he could have a role in the base defense. Zach Thomas and Jerry O are the easy comparisons to show that savvy and instincts can make up for a lack of elite athleticism.

And while he doesn't have eye-popping combine numbers, he wasn't awful, either:

40: 4.76 / 4.70
20: 2.80 / 2.77
10: 1.66 / 1.66
Bench: 22 reps / 25 reps

The comparison is Timmons. Timmons beat him soundly in the jumps and the shuttles (1st round vs 7th round) but Matakevich is a better athlete than he gets credit for. And he has incredibly strong hands - he makes a lot of shoestring tackles (like the TFL in the one preseason game) that do not get broken.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Yeah, I was thinking about this (every year, there is a camp sensation who becomes a minor celebrity), and wondering who this year's was. In years past, it was guys like Stefan Logan, Redzone Redman, even AB back when he was new, who actually made it and did a few things. And there were names who did some things, but couldn't make it through. I remember a couple years back, there was a kid OL they were calling Chicken Nugget (was good enough to get a camp nickname). I'm at a loss, but I think there were others like this...

Anyway, this year seems like Dirty Red and the little WR they're likening to AB!

WR Zamir Cobb 2004. Looked good in camp and injured during pre-season. I think he resurfaced briefly with the Cards IIRC. Also went to Temple U like Matakevich.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Zach Thomas and Jerry O are the easy comparisons to show that savvy and instincts can make up for a lack of elite athleticism.

It should certainly help that Olsavsky is Matakevich's ILB coach. And Joey Porter is Bud Dupree's OLB coach. And Carnell Lake is Sean Davis' DB coach. They all could be similar types of players on the field as their mentors (although Peezy was louder than Bud is, and Davis is likely louder than Lake was). Mold 'em in your own images, fella...teach 'em all your little secrets to success.

[Oviedo]

Would Feeney really be a risk to get poached. Guy came out of college with very little significant credentials other than a rep as good ST player. He has done very little in the pre-season. Any team poaching him would have to add him to the 53. Not sure he would be in that kinda demand.

[feltdizz]

whoa... Zumwalt was a board favorite.

[phillyesq]

Would Feeney really be a risk to get poached. Guy came out of college with very little significant credentials other than a rep as good ST player. He has done very little in the pre-season. Any team poaching him would have to add him to the 53. Not sure he would be in that kinda demand.

Agree. From what I've seen in the games, he hasn't done anything. I think you can slide him through for a year on the PS.