5 former Steelers players who might be done in the NFL
By Tommy Jaggi
1. DL Chris Wormley
This one would come as a bit of a surprise, but I can see a scenario where Chris Wormley has already played his final snaps in the NFL. Wormley had a reduced role on the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022 from what he saw the season prior, but he was still a very solid player.
Production-wise, Wormley dropped from 7.0 sacks and 10 quarterback hits in 2021 down to just 0.5 sacks and 1 QB hit last season, via ESPN stats. While his production may have declined drastically, Wormley still graded out as the 18th-best interior defender in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.
Still, the respectable grade didn't quite line up with what we saw on film. Despite the fact he's a former third-round pick who is still just 29 years old, Wormley could be out of a job in the NFL. The veteran defensive lineman suffered a torn ACL late in the 2022 season, which means that he may not be ready to go for the start of 2023.
By the time he's back in football shape and looking for one more contract, the free-agent defender will be in his 30s and coming off a major knee injury. I think there is still some quality football left for Wormley if he makes a full recovery, but it's hard to say if a team will be willing to sign him to their 53-man roster at this stage in his career, considering the injury and recovery process.