The Pittsburgh Steelers have another free agent in town today as Ed Bouchette reports via Twitter that tight end Leonard Pope is visiting today. Pope, an unrestricted free agent, played for Steelers new offensive coordinator Todd Haley when both were with the Arizona Cardinals and the Kansas City Chiefs. Pope was originally drafted by the Cardinals out of Georgia in the third round of the 2006 draft. He has 102 career receptions for 973 yards to go along with 9 touchdowns. Pope is not regarded as a strong blocking tight end.
In addition to Pope, the Steelers also are entertaining three more draft prospects on Tuesday as Regina defensive end Akiem Hicks, Missouri tight end Michael Egnew and Southern Cal linebacker Nick Perry are all in for pre draft visits. Hicks is regarded as a late round prospect who projects as a 5-technique defensive end at the NFL level. Egnew measured in at the combine at 6052 and weighed 252 pounds. He ran an unofficial 4.62 40 yard dash, did 21 reps on the bench and had a 36 inch vertical jump. He is projected to be a mid-round pick later this month. Perry measured in at the combine at 6026 and weighed 271 pounds. The Steelers are likely seeing him as an outside rush linebacker at the next level as he played defensive end at USC. Perry put up 35 reps at the combine and ran an unofficial 40 time of 4.64. He had a 38 1/2 inch vertical jump to go along with a 10\’11” broad jump. He improved both of those numbers at his pro day and is slated to be a first or earluy second round pick later this month.
