The Steelers signed eight players to their practice squad Sunday, including seven players who had been in training camp with the team this year. Added to the team’s practice squad were wide receiver Dallas Baker, tight end Jon Dekker, safety Grant Mason, defensive end Ryan McBean, defensive tackle Scott Paxson, center Marvin Philip and wide receiver Gerran Walker.
The team also signed running back Jamaal Branch, who spent the 2007 preseason in the New Orleans Saints training camp. McBean and Baker were draft picks by the Steelers this year.
The only draft pick who was not signed to the practice squad was guard/center Cameron Stephenson, a fifth-round pick. The team did keep Stephenson's teammate at Rutgers, center Darnell Stapleton, on its active roster. Stapleton was one of two undrafted rookies to make the team's final roster.
Dale,
ReplyDeleteGreat blog. I've really enjoyed your insights throughout the preseason.
Question for you -- any word on why Capizzi was not signed to the practice squad? I thought that he showed a lot of potential.
I haven't had a chance to talk to anybody about it privately yet, but I will at some point.
ReplyDeleteFWIW, Bouchette got a question in his weekly online chat and said that it was a chain reaction. When Rossum was put on the 53 man roster, he bumped Philip to the PS and he bumped Capizzi off the PS.
ReplyDeleteOf course that doesn't explain why they used their 8th PS spot for an RB cut by NO instead of bumping him for Capizzi.