It’s not terribly often that a late-round pick cut by his original team ends up looping back around for a second chance with the club years later, not unless he develops into a starter and gets to come back as an unrestricted free agent.
While Quincy Roche’s return to Pittsburgh isn’t quite as glamorous as all that since the Steelers drafted him in the sixth round in 2021, he is happy to be back, and also believes he is a better player better equipped to help out—as do his teammates who knew him then.
“I am glad they are welcoming me once again”, he told Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, adding, “I chose to be here for a second time, so (that shows) I loved it the first time”.
Though cut as a rookie, the Steelers likely intended to re-sign Roche to the practice squad, but he was claimed off waivers by the New York Giants. He spent all that year on their 53-man roster, recording 38 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 401 snaps. But he spent most of the 2022 season on the practice squad. After the season ended, he opted to sign a Reserve/Future contract with the Steelers when they offered, presumably having other offers—likely including New York.
Roche did say that he believes his time with the Giants was good for him as a player and that he enjoyed his time there, and that should only help him find his footing quicker now that he is back in Pittsburgh looking to make the 53-man roster this time around.
“I think I’m a better version of myself now than I was”, he said. “I think you can see it all around. Maturity, not just as physically but mentally my maturity, skill-wise, I have seen it and put it to the test, seen what works and what doesn’t”. He added that he can’t wait for the chance to show it.
At least one of his old teammates is already seeing it. Captain Cameron Heyward said of Roche that he is more comfortable now and his head isn’t spinning as it was as a rookie. “He definitely has a leg up on a couple of guys because he knows what we’re expecting, but I think he’s looking at it as, ‘how can I make this team and stay on this team?’”, he added.
As it stands, he can probably be penciled in as the number five outside linebacker behind starters T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, and the recently signed Markus Golden, a veteran former starter who brings a lot of experience to the table. They used a fourth-round draft pick this year on Nick Herbig, who is working on the outside for now, but may in time move inside.
The rest of the outside linebacker room isn’t exactly so distinguished, including a pair of rookie free agents in David Perales and Toby Ndukwe. Of course, the Steelers have a history of finding flash-in-the-pan college free agent pass rushers, including the man they kept over Roche in 2021, Jamir Jones.
