Steelers moves
Aug 23, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Blanchard (6) passes the ball against pressure from Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Anthony Chickillo (40) during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 24-19. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Steelers made some moves this weekend to get their roster 2015-ready as well. The final 53-man roster never turns out to be very final as we saw from Saturday to Sunday the team made their cuts to get down for the deadline but then made additional moves on Sunday.
The team placed center Maurkice Pouncey on the Injured Reserve/Designated for Return List on Sunday. He’ll be eligible to return after eight games. With his spot on the roster open, the team re-signed center Doug Legursky, who they had previously released on Saturday.
In addition to the moves on the offensive line the Steelers added running back Jordan Todman after his release by the Carolina Panthers. They also claimed defensive end Caushaud Lyons, who was waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
To make room for those two roster spots the team released draft picks cornerback Doran Grant and linebacker Anthony Chickillo.
The Steelers signed ten players to their practice squad including RB Dominique Brown, DB Jordan Dangerfield, OL Reese Dismukes, OL Antonio Johnson, LBs L.J. Fort and Shayon Green, DE Ethen Hemer, WR Shakim Phillips, WR Jarrod West and TE Harold Spears.
On Monday, the Steelers even made some practice squad roster moves.
#Steelers P.Squad - Sign: TE Xavier Grimble, OT Matt Feiler, RB Fitzgerald Toussiant, WR Isaiah Burse; Release: Spears, Johnson, Brown, West
— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) September 7, 2015
The Steelers also named their 2015 season captains. Ben Roethlisberger, Cameron Heyward, William Gay and Robert Golden will be your Pittsburgh Steelers 2015 team captains.
A lot of questions are raised by the team’s release of players like Grant and Chickillo and while players who barely make the roster and/or are on the practice squad rarely make or break the season, it is questionable to release two draft picks so early in the process.
The Steelers only have four of the eight players chosen in the 2015 NFL Draft on the roster for the season. If they decide it’s time to move on from players early on and cut their losses, that’s fine, they’ve wasted too much time on players not worth it in the past but if that’s the stance then it’s hard to justify the roster spots for players like Landry Jones and Dri Archer.
Next: Looking to New England