Steelers React to Worilds, Williams Visit, McCain Gone

The NFL free agency period is in full swing and you can bet that we won’t miss a beat of Steelers coverage. While the Steelers are releasing players, signing free agents, restructure and extending contracts and re-signing their own free agents we’ll be busy looking around for mentions of your Black & Gold. Here’s your Steelers Morning Huddle for Thursday, March 12^th.

Steelers Respond

As Teresa Varley points out, it’s not every day that a player retires from football in the prime of his career just before he was set to make millions of dollars. But linebacker Jason Worilds did just that. The Steelers had already allowed Worilds to become an unrestricted free agent as of 4:00 pm ET on Tuesday but still released a statement regarding his retirement from the NFL.

"“We respect his decision to retire and thank him for his five years in Pittsburgh. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”"

Bringing in a backup

The Steelers needed to address the backup running back position regardless of Le’Veon Bell‘s impending possible suspension from the NFL for his DUI arrest last July. His carries per game will have him burnt out in no time if reinforcements aren’t brought in. Ed Bouchette of the PPG reports that the Steelers will begin their search for Bell’s backup on Friday when former Carolina Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams will visit the team.

Williams was released by the Panthers on Tuesday after nine seasons of rushing for 6,846 yards for a 4.8-yard average. Being limited by injury he played in only six games in 2014, collecting 219 yards and a 3.5-yard average. The only other running backs on the roster at the moment are Joshua Harris and Dri Archer.

One down

The Steelers lost a cornerback on Wednesday. Brice McCain signed a two-year deal with the Miami Dolphins, according to ESPN’s Scott Brown. The Steelers have William Gay, Cortez Allen and B.W. Webb as the only corners on the roster at this point. Antwon Blake was offered a restricted free agent tender on Monday.

McCain had three interceptions and a forced fumble in his one and only season as a Pittsburgh Steeler. He signed for the veteran minimum last March. The terms of his deal with Miami are two years for $5.5 million with $3 million guaranteed. Nice work for him after making less than a million with the Steelers last year.

Next: So Hard to See Keisel Go

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