The Steelers are already out of training camp and back at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, informally known as the South Side facility. It’s where they otherwise train all year round, and the shift from Saint Vincent College for training camp back to Pittsburgh signals the approaching arrival of the regular season.
The team had a good few weeks of work up in Latrobe, but there are still unsettled questions that need answering. There are a few position battles yet to be determined, whether one considers the quarterback job up for grabs, or even remotely in the mix.
We’ve got yet another new offensive line with some incoming veterans in James Daniels and Mason Cole. Myles Jack is in at inside linebacker, replacing Joe Schobert, and we’ll have to see if Devin Bush can return to form after last year’s dismal display.
There’s still so much going on, and even coming out of training camp, we’ll only uncover more questions as we go along. We’ll be discussing them here on a daily basis for the community to “talk amongst yourselves”, as Linda Richman might say on Coffee Talk.
Question: Could Quincy Roche find his way back to Pittsburgh with the final roster cuts?
For those on the outside looking in, the Steelers were presenting the appearance that veteran outside linebacker Genard Avery was lining up to be their third, rotational player at the position. Then he was part of the team’s second wave of roster cuts.
While that’s good news for the likes of Hamilcar Rashed Jr., who is expected to start in the preseason finale with Alex Highsmith still working his way back from a rib injury, the team is going to be scouring the waiver wire for help.
And one name that they might call upon should he become available is Quincy Roche, the outside linebacker they drafted in the sixth round a year ago. He had a solid preseason, but not one as good as Jamir Jones, who made the roster over him, only to be waived weeks into the season to be replaced by Derrek Tuszka.
Roche is currently on the roster bubble with the New York Giants, who claimed him when the Steelers originally let him go. He remained with New York for the entire 2021 season and did get some playing time, in fact logging over 400 defensive snaps with 38 tackles, 2.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.
Pittsburgh has shown a willingness to bring back players they’ve lost in the past, including Tuzar Skipper twice, from the same position. There is no reason to think that they would have entirely moved on from Roche should he become available. It was widely assumed that they intended to place him on the practice squad if he cleared waivers when they originally released him.
