Pittsburgh Steelers sign 2 CBs, 2 WRs to futures deals

[SteelCrazy]

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed cornerbacks Montell Garner and Al-hajj Shabazz and wide receivers Isaac Blakeney and Tobais Palmer to futures contracts, the team announced Thursday afternoon.

Palmer is the most experienced of the group, having been in the league for three years with the Jacksonville Jaguars, San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills. Garner, Shabazz and Blakeney were all rookies last season.

All four players entered the league as undrafted rookie free agents. Pittsburgh has signed 20 players to futures contracts this offseason.

Palmer – out of North Carolina State – is the only one of the four with a regular season game to his name. It came in Week 4 of his rookie year with the Jaguars against the Indianapolis Colts.

Blakeney was a teammate of Steelers cornerback Ross Cockrell at Duke in 2013 and 2014. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound receiver spent 11 days on the Washington Redskins' practice squad last season.

A look at the rate of success for Steelers futures signings

Shabazz started in the 2015 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. He was a Division II All-American in his senior year at West Chester. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound corner spent a month with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last summer before getting cut when the roster got trimmed to 75 players.

Garneris a 5-foot-11, 188-pound corner who signed with the St. Louis Rams last May. He played the first two years of his college career at Navarro Junior College before finishing up at Division-II South Alabama.

[url]http://www.pennlive.com/steelers/index.ssf/2016/02/steelers_cbs_wrs_futures.html[/url]

[feltdizz]

6'-6" WR? Did I read that correctly?

[Slapstick]

Hey, Alejandro Villanueva and Roosevelt Nix were futures contract players...

[Ghost]

Issac Blakeny: Depending on the site; I've seen him listed as 6'4", 6'5", 6'6" and 6'7".

Two-year starter who posted a career-best 47 receptions, 559 receiving yards and 7 TDs as a senior.

Positive: Large, possession receiver who could eventually develop into a move tight end. Uses his frame to his advantage, strong and wins out in battles. Extends his hands and plucks passes from the air. Gives effort blocking downfield.

Negative: Marginal quickness and speed. Cannot run to the deep throw.

Analysis: Blakeney comes off a terrific senior campaign and is a big-bodied possession wide-out best running underneath. He comes with growth potential and if he learns to block on the line of scrimmage he could make a roster as a third tight end.


Also read that he changed positions multiple times at Duke. Started at DE and then TE, to the slot, and finally as an outside receiver.

[RuthlessBurgher]

If you are 6'6" and at Duke, you should be playing for Coach K instead.

[snarky]

If you are 6'6" and at Duke, you should be playing for Coach K instead.

Actually, from the positive/negative description, I think he missed his calling as a soccer goalkeeper. A guy who is 6'6" with good hands and a solid frame could probably make himself a nice career between the sticks.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Steelers sign guard Manhart to reserve/future contract

By Chris Adamski 
Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016, 5:09 p.m.
Updated 20 hours ago


The Steelers signed guard Cole Manhart to a reserve/future contract Wednesday.


Manhart spent his 2015 rookie training camp with New Orleans after being signed as an undrafted free agent by Philadelphia. He finished this past season on Oakland's practice squad.


The 6-foot-4, 298-pound Manhart was a three-year starter at Nebraska-Kearney, where he was honored as a Division II All-American.

[URL="http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/9947141-74/manhart-signed-adamski"]
http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/9947141-74/manhart-signed-adamski[/URL]

[RuthlessBurgher]

By Zac Jackson
February 16, 2016, 5:18 PM EST
Steelers make roster moves

The Steelers made a host of roster moves Tuesday as they prepare for the start of the league year next month.

Signed were defensive tackle Lavon Hooks and long snapper Matt Dooley. Released were tight end Rob Blanchflower, offensive lineman Kelvin Palmer and offensive lineman Mitchell Van Dyk.

The Steelers re-signed longtime long snapper Greg Warren last week, so Dooley figures to spell Warren during camp and get a look from the team’s decision makers as a future option at the position. Hooks was an undrafted free agent last year who spent some time with the Packers.

Blanchflower was a seventh-round pick of the Steelers in 2014. Van Dyk was a seventh-round pick of the Rams in 2014 who first signed with the Steelers last January. Both Blanchflower and Van Dyk were waived-injured by the Steelers last season and reverted to the team’s injured reserve list.

The Steelers added Palmer at the beginning of last year’s training camp as insurance at tackle. He’s never played in a regular season game.