The Pittsburgh Steelers made one of the more interesting and difficult decisions during roster cuts by letting second-year slot cornerback Beanie Bishop go. After coming into training camp as a virtual lock to make the roster, the squeeze from the additions of Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay proved to be the driving force behind his release.
Once Steelers fans saw the news of his release, the immediate assumption was that he would get picked up on the waiver wire. Teams with high priority, such as the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, and New York Jets, all seemed to be possible landing spots.
However, as the waiver wire deadline hit at 4 pm on Wednesday, Bishop, as well as all of the Steelers cuts, went unclaimed. According to NFL Media's Tom Pelissero, the Steelers then signed Bishop back to the practice squad.
Pittsburgh Steelers quietly win the waiver wire game after roster cuts
While it’s no doubt frustrating for Bishop to land on the practice squad after being a starter for most of his rookie season, just having him back in the building is a massive win for Pittsburgh. While he won’t be suited up for gameday as long as the primary trio of corners are healthy, he’ll still get to learn on the practice field and in team meetings in the meantime.
There’s also the possibility that, should Donte Kent and Will Howard be placed on injured reserve, Bishop could be immediately called up to the 53-man roster. That doesn’t seem entirely likely, however, as the Steelers are more likely positioned to bring Chuck Clark back for safety depth and James Pierre to reprise his role as a special teams gunner.
Still, any team that finds itself in need of a slot corner could still try to pick up Bishop while he is on Pittsburgh’s practice squad. Of course, the Steelers could always counter the offer to make sure they hold onto him. Considering his depth value, Pittsburgh would be expected to go to great lengths to keep him in the building.
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Bishop’s preseason had a strange end. Days before the preseason finale, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said Bishop would have to fight to make the roster. The preseason finale came and went, and Bishop didn’t see the field, signaling the end of his chances to make the initial 53-man roster.
In his rookie season, Bishop secured 45 tackles, recovered a fumble, deflected seven passes, and hauled in four interceptions, including two against Aaron Rodgers on Sunday Night Football.