The Steelers have placed rookie
linebacker Sean Spence on their Reserve/Injured List and released 21
others, reducing their roster to the league-mandated 53 players, the team
announced today.
Spence suffered a left knee injury in
the Steelers’ preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers and will miss the
2012 season.
Two veterans that have spent time with
the Steelers who were released today are offensive lineman Trai Essex
and punter Jeremy Kapinos (Waived/Injured List). Essex has played in 76
career games for Pittsburgh (28 starts) while Kapinos has been the team’s
punter for most of the past two seasons.
The other 19 players released include
defensive backs Damon Cromartie-Smith, Terrence Frederick and Josh
Victorian, linebackers Brandon Hicks and Marshall McFadden,
defensive linemen Corbin Bryant, Igbinosun Ikponmwosa and Jake
Stoller, quarterback Jerrod Johnson, running back DuJuan Harris,
wide receivers Tyler Beiler, Toney Clemons, David Gilreath,
Marquis Maze and Derrick Williams, and offensive linemen Ryan
Lee, John Malecki and Chris Scott.
The Steelers will likely bring Essex back on the 53-man roster after rookie guard David DeCastro is placed on injured reserve using the league's new designation. Essex must first clear waivers.
With the release of Beiler, Clemons, Gilreath, Maze and Williams, the Steelers are carrying only four wide receivers.
Because they only are carrying 4 receivers, could this be a sign that Wallace is going to get big money? Or are they not negociating at this point?
ReplyDeleteWouldn't this more likely mean that a 5th WR is coming back after DeCastro hits IR?
ReplyDeleteOr maybe that Rainey could be the 5th wr?
ReplyDeleteI tend to think Rainey is the quasi-5th wide receiver, and lets face it, we can put any of the cut WRs on the practice squad with very little danger that any one of them will get picked up by another team. Also, with DeCastro on hiatus they will need an O-lineman more than a 5th WR... particularly in Todd Haley's offense.
ReplyDeleteCould be a receiver coming back. Or Rainey and Heath Miller being the emergency guys.
ReplyDeleteI would lean more to them keeping their options open for an inside linebacker to fill DeCastro's spot.
I read that Antonio Smith, former Ohio Stae CB signed with the Steelers in Jan. 2012. Has he been cut
ReplyDeleteAntonio Smith didn't make it to training camp. He was released in May
ReplyDeleteDale, Spence's injury seems especially severe. Are the Steelers worried his career might be over before it even gets started?
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