The NFL offseason is in full effect, with the NFL Combine next on the calendar. And as the offseason moves along, the Steelers roster continues to change. This is your best place to catch up with the changes that have taken place to the team's roster, which includes the addition of some new faces and a familiar face staying put.
Veteran defensive end Tyson Alualu signed a new two-year contract that will keep him with the team through the 2020 season and allow him to avoid free agency.
"It feels great," said Alualu. "I am blessed to be able to come back and play for an organization that I love being around, from the top to the bottom. From management to my teammates. I am thankful to get something done and be with the group of guys that are chasing that trophy. I am just excited to get something done as soon as possible."
He has played in 31 games with seven starts in his two seasons with the Steelers and recorded a career-high four sacks in 2017. He has 318 career tackles, including 37 for a loss, 21.5 sacks and 57 quarterback hits, seven passes defensed, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
Alualu, who was drafted by the Jaguars in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft, is already excited about the 2019 season with the talent the team has on defense and continuing the bond he has formed with his teammates.
"I don't know if I can say enough about the guys that we have," said Alualu. "The relationships that you build on and off the field. You get to know people on a personal level, see how they live every day, how they interact with each other, with myself. It is a testament to the organization and the family atmosphere they build there. I am just happy and excited to continue to be a part of that.
"We have so many great players. I am looking forward to us putting things together. It's still so early. Free agency hasn't even hit yet. Just excited to see the pieces added, the pieces we still have. I can't wait to get back and play ball and see what we can do this coming season."
Players aren't the only place where there has been change. The Steelers hired Teryl Austin in the new role of senior defensive assistant/secondary. Austin comes to the Steelers with a wealth of NFL experience, having coached in the league for 15 seasons. Shaun Sarrett, who has been with the team for seven seasons, was promoted to offensive line coach. Sarrett was an offensive assistant with the team from 2012-17, working mainly with the offensive line, and then promoted to assistant offensive line coach for the 2018 season. The team also hired Eddie Faulkner as the new running backs coach. Faulkner comes to the Steelers from North Carolina State. Finally, the team hired Adrian Klemm as assistant offensive line coach.
The full update of what has happened so far this offseason is below, and we will bring you more updates as they happen.
Roster Recap:
Keion Adams - Signed a reserve/future contract. Was on the Steelers practice squad during the 2018 season. Was the Steelers seventh-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Spent the 2017 season on the reserve/injured list. A linebacker out of Western Michigan University, Adams finished his college career with 124 tackles, 70 of them solo stops, and added 32 tackles for a loss, 14.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Tyson Alualu – Signed a new two-year contract to avoid becoming an unrestricted free agent. He has played in 31 games with seven starts in his two seasons with the Steelers and recorded a career-high four sacks in 2017. He has 318 career tackles, including 37 for a loss, 21.5 sacks and 57 quarterback hits, seven passes defensed, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
Zach Banner – Signed a one-year contract extension at the end of the 2018 season. Banner was signed by the Steelers during training camp last year and spent the 2018 season on the active roster, although he didn't see action in any games and was a game day inactive for 15 games. Banner was a fourth-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in the 2017 NFL Draft, but spent his rookie season with the Cleveland Browns, playing in eight games. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers last offseason but was released in late May.
Marcelis Branch - Signed a reserve/future contract. Originally signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2017 NFL Draft. Was waived before the start of the 2017 regular season, but signed to the Falcons practice squad, and then signed a reserve/futures contract with the Falcons after that season. Was released prior to the start of the 2018 season. Branch played college football in the Pittsburgh area at Robert Morris, where he was the male athlete of the year for 2016-17. The safety was also named All Northeast Conference three times.
Kameron Canaday – Signed a one-year contract extension at the end of the 2018 season. Canaday has been consistent as the Steelers long snapper the last two seasons, playing in every game. Canaday originally signed with the Steelers in the 2017 offseason, was released, and then signed back and won the long snapper job in training camp. Canaday entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Arizona Cardinals in 2016 but was released early that season.
Jordan Dangerfield – Signed a one-year contract extension at the end of the 2018 season. He played in 16 games this year, starting the season finale against Cincinnati at free safety with Sean Davis sidelined. Dangerfield had five tackles on defense and two on special teams. He also recovered a fumble against the Los Angeles Chargers while playing special teams. Dangerfield has played in 30 games with 15 tackles in his NFL career.
Trey Griffey - Signed a reserve/future contract. Was on the Steelers practice squad during the 2018 season. The son of Hall of Fame baseball player Ken Griffey Jr., he played collegiately at Arizona. He signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2017 but was waived/injured before training camp started. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins during camp but released prior to the season.
Bucky Hodges - Signed a reserve/future contract. Was on the Steelers practice squad at the end of the 2018 season. The tight end was originally signed by the Steelers during training camp, just a few days after he was released by the New York Jets. In addition to spending time with the Jets, he also spent time with the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Lavon Hooks - Signed a reserve/future contract. Was on the Steelers practice squad during the 2018 season. Originally signed by the team in 2017 but was released before the start of the season. Spent the 2017 season on the team's practice squad. Prior to joining the Steelers, he spent time with the Green Bay Packers.
Tevin Jones - Signed a reserve/future contract. Was on the Steelers practice squad during the 2018 season. Entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Houston Texans in 2016. Was released by the Texans before the season started but added to their practice squad late in the season. Was signed to a reserve/future contract in Jan. 2017 but waived that spring. Signed by the Kansas City Chiefs that summer but was released prior to the start of the season.
Patrick Morris - Signed a reserve/future contract. Was on the Steelers practice squad during the 2018 season. Was signed by the Steelers as a rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft. Morris, a center out of TCU, started 18 games in college, with 10 at guard and eight at center.
R.J. Prince - Signed a reserve/future contract. Was on the Steelers practice squad during the 2018 season. Prince made an impression when he attended Steelers rookie minicamp in 2018 on a tryout basis and was signed afterwards. Prince, a guard who played at North Carolina, started 11 of the 12 games he played his final college season. He started 12 games his junior year.
Kevin Rader - Signed a reserve/future contract. The tight end signed with the Green Bay Packers last year as an undrafted rookie free agent, spending training camp with the team. Played collegiately at Youngstown State where he had 44 receptions for 601 yards and four touchdowns. Played high school football at Pine-Richland in the Pittsburgh area.
Brogan Roback - Signed a reserve/future contract. Roback was originally signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted rookie free agent last year. The quarterback was released before the start of the regular season. In the preseason he completed nine of 18 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown. Roback played collegiately at Eastern Michigan.
Tegray Scales - Signed a reserve/future contract. Scales originally signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2018 NFL Draft. He was released by the team before the start of the season. Scales was signed to the Colts practice squad in December and released him later in the month. Scales played collegiately at Indiana where the linebacker had 325 tackles and 18 sacks.
Christian Scotland-Williamson – Signed a reserve/future contract. Was originally signed by the Steelers through the NFL's International Player Pathway program on May 10, 2018 and spent the season on the practice squad. Before joining the Steelers played for Worcester Warriors Rugby Football Club of the English Premiership, where he played in 23 games from 2014-17 before joining the NFL's International Player Pathway program.
Conor Sheehy - Signed a reserve/future contract. Sheehy was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Green Bay Packers after the 2018 NFL Draft. He was released before the start of the season. The defensive end played collegiately at Wisconsin where he made 33 starts.
Diontae Spencer - Signed a reserve/future contract. Spencer spent the last four seasons playing in the CFL for Ottawa and Toronto. In his four seasons in the CFL he played in 57 games with 259 catches for 3,137 yards, including 1,007 yards in 2018. The receiver/returner also spent a short time with the Los Angeles Rams.
Robert Spillane – Signed to the 90-man roster on February 8. Was originally signed by the Tennessee Titans after a tryout during rookie minicamp. Added to the Titans practice squad at the start of the 2018 season. Played in one game for the Titans in 2018 but was released midseason. Played against the Steelers in the 2018 preseason and intercepted Landry Jones. The linebacker was a second-team All Mid-American Conference selection as a junior and senior at Western Michigan.
Herb Waters - Signed a reserve/future contract. Was on the Steelers practice squad during the 2018 season. Waters, a second-year defensive back, was signed to the practice squad in October. He began his NFL career with the Green Bay Packers as a rookie free agent in 2016. Spent time on the team's practice squad but did play in two regular season games. Missed the 2017 season with a shoulder injury. Played collegiately at the University of Miami.
Ralph Webb - Signed a reserve/future contract. Was on the Steelers practice squad for a portion of the 2018 season, signed in December because of injuries at running back. Webb was originally signed by the New England Patriots after the 2018 NFL Draft, released at the end of the preseason and signed to the practice squad. He was released from the Patriots practice squad during the season, signed to Tampa Bay's practice squad, and later released from the Bucs and signed by the Steelers.
Ka'Raun White – Signed a reserve/future contract. Was originally signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2018 NFL Draft, but released and signed by the Cincinnati Bengals. Spent training camp and the preseason with the Bengals but was released prior to the start of the regular season. White played at West Virginia where the receiver finished his career with 61 receptions for 1,004 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Malik Williams - Signed to the 90-man roster on February 8. Was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2018 NFL Draft. Spent training camp with the Falcons but was waived with a shoulder injury. Williams rushed for 531 yards and four touchdowns in 2017 for while at Louisville.
