With the 2017 NFL Draft now over and the bulk of the heavy lifting done with regard to the roster building process now out of the way, it is easier to begin to take stock of where the Pittsburgh Steelers stand at certain positions, and what the implications might be of a variety of moves for certain players.
And take stock is what we shall do, as every move has ramifications up and down the roster, so now we will take a look at some specific players and see how the team’s moves during the course of the offseason thus far, and more specifically since the draft, have sent their stock rising, falling, or breaking even.
Player: Matt Galambos
Stock Value: Even
It actually is not often at all that the Steelers make use of their proximity—literally in the same place—to the Pittsburgh Panthers college football team in terms of adding their players to their roster, but the 2017 season as certainly proven to be an exception.
They made running back James Conner the first Pittsburgh player they have drafted since Hank Poteat in 2000, so suffice it to say that it’s been a long time. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the last player they have had on even their offseason roster from Pitt prior to this year was Dorin Dickerson four or five years ago.
But Conner didn’t come alone. Most are aware that tight end Scott Orndoff came with him as a key undrafted free agent, but there is also inside linebacker Matt Galambos. He was one of the two rookie minicamp invitees who were signed to the 90-man roster as a result of their performance.
Given that the Steelers lost a starting inside linebacker in free agency and did not use free agency or the draft to replace him, I thought it would be fitting to talk about one of the few inside linebackers that they did actually bring in.
Galambos is far from the most athletic player, nor is he the most productive, but he is a gamer. His 40-yard dash is slower than a 4.9 and he never posted 90 tackles in three years as a starter at Pitt, but he seems to have some level of instinct for the game—enough to catch the coaches’ eyes.
Not that they hadn’t seen him before, practicing with the Panthers, because the Steelers do watch their college counterparts. It saves travel expenses for the scouts, after all.
But anyway, the point is that there is a chance for the likes of Galambos and Keith Kelsey to make a push against players like L.J. Fort and Steven Johnson for a roster spot. It’s not the greatest odds in the world, but their depth is average at best at this position, so there is an opportunity.
