Now that the 2021 season is over, bringing yet another year of disappointment, a fifth consecutive season with no postseason victories, it’s time to take stock of where the Pittsburgh Steelers stand. Specifically, where Steelers players stand individually based on what we have seen and are seeing over the course of the season and into the offseason as it plays out. We will also be reviewing players based on their previous season and their prospects for the future. A stock evaluation can take a couple of different approaches and I’ll try to make clear my reasoning. In some cases, it will be based on more long-term trends. In other instances, it will be a direct response to something that just happened. Because of this, we can and will see a player more than once over the course of the season as we move forward.
Player: OLB Tuzar Skipper
Stock Value: Purchased
Reasoning: Tuzar Skipper was signed to the Steelers’ 90-man roster earlier this week, marking the third time he has signed with the team since coming out of college as an undrafted free agent in 2019.
The Steelers have been searching for depth and competition behind their starters at the outside linebacker position. They just recently brought in three for workouts; while they did not end up signing any of those specific three, they did sign Tuzar Skipper, a former original college free agent signing from 2019.
A standout in the preseason that year, Skipper actually did make the initial 53-man roster, but was waived in advance of the regular-season opener. Undoubtedly attempting to sneak him onto the practice squad, the Steelers lost the gamble, as the New York Giants claimed him off waivers.
New York eventually waived him as well, and the Steelers did not claim him, but about a month or so later, they did sign him while he was signed to the Giants’ practice squad. He remained back in Pittsburgh until failing to make the 53-man roster during final cuts in 2020.
He since spent some time with the Tennessee Titans, and is now finally back in Pittsburgh, where he arguably stands a reasonable chance of making the team. There isn’t much to write home about, at least on paper, behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.
While the Steelers signed veteran Genard Avery earlier this offseason, who should be the favorite to be the number three edge, the rest of the group consists of Derrek Tuszka and a pair of rookie college free agents, Tyree Johnson and T.D. Moultry.
Of course, the team does a history of finding some pass rushers with talent among undrafted free agents, whether they ultimately work out or not, Skipper being among them. The list also includes the likes of Olasunkanmi Adeniyi, Jamir Jones, Howard Jones, Adrian Robinson, and…well, you know the one.
