Player: Tegray Scales
Position: Inside Linebacker
Experience: 0 Years
Free Agent Status: Exclusive Rights
2020 Salary Cap Hit: $71,765
2020 Season Breakdown:
Technically speaking, though he spent some time on the 53-man roster with the Pittsburgh Steelers this year, including two games for which he was designated a standard elevation as a member of the practice squad, he only served four games, which is not enough to accrue a season, which is why I have his ‘experience’ above listed as zero. Just to get that out of the way in case anybody has questions about it.
A product of Indiana, Scales went undrafted in 2018 and kicked around the offseason and practice squad rosters of the Rams and Colts that year. He signed a futures contract with the Steelers the following January and was with the team through the preseason, but did not make the practice squad.
He would end up playing in the XFL in 2020, but would go unsigned by the NFL after the league folded, until the Buccaneers added him to their practice squad in October, where he lasted two weeks. The Steelers signed him to their own practice squad for depth on November 11.
After Robert Spillane suffered a knee injury and Vince Williams came down with Covid-19, Scales dressed twice as a standard elevation in weeks 14 and 15. With only two elevations permitted per player during a season, with continued injuries, he had to be signed to the 53-man roster to continue dressing, and so he was, the team waiving lineman Derwin Gray to make room.
Despite the call-up, he only saw three total defensive snaps, though he did play 25 snaps on special teams. He did not dress for the postseason game, as by then, both Spillane and Williams were back and ready to go. In fact, he was waived before the game to bring Spillane and Matt Feiler back from the reserve list.
Free Agency Outlook:
Scales was signed to a futures contract as soon as the season was over along with the vast majority of the other players who had finished the season with the Steelers on the practice squad. With that said, it’s unlikely that he has a good chance of making the 53-man roster.
Devin Bush is set to return to the starting lineup, and even if Williams were to be a cap casualty, Spillane would be there to start, with Ulysees Gilbert III and Marcus Allen already in place as depth. And there’s a good chance that they will draft another linebacker in the later rounds.
