Since the NFL altered the Reserve/Injured List rules to allow for players to return at some point during the season, the only caveat being that the player must be on the initial 53-man roster, we have seen teams with injuries at the start of the year rely on a ‘boomerang’ veteran player whom they can release and then re-sign once the transaction has been made.
An ideal boomerang or yo-yo player is a vested veteran of four or more years of experience who is on a one-year, veteran salary benefit contract with no more than a reserve role who will not be significantly coveted on the open market and would gladly return, with the understanding that he would be quickly re-signed once the necessary roster move is made.
They’ve done this in the past, for example, with ILB Steven Johnson in 2017 when they placed CB Cameron Sutton on the Reserve/Injured List. Just last year it was T Trent Scott and ILB Marcus Allen who circled back in order to allow the team to place WR Calvin Austin III and S Damontae Kazee on the Reserve/Injured List.
A player must stay on the Reserve/Injured List for at least four games with the most recent rule changes. Up to eight players can return in a single season. All players can return twice, but each counts separately toward the eight.
So who are the potential players who could be placed on the Reserve/Injured List in 2023 for the Steelers, and who might they use to boomerang their way to a comfortable 53-man roster? Well, the good news is that the team has had a pretty clean offseason. Outside of the loss of rookie CB Cory Trice Jr., there have been no known major injuries.
The most obvious candidate would have to be TE Zach Gentry, who reportedly has been spotted in a walking boot. While head coach Mike Tomlin said yesterday that the veteran tight end is fine, foot injuries can be tricky. OL Nate Herbig, who has been dealing with a shoulder injury, reported himself that he will be ready for the start of the season.
Another name to consider is G Kevin Dotson, who has missed weeks with an injury himself. He did not participate in the final preseason game as a result. Neither did DL Cameron Heyward or G James Daniels, both described as having day-to-day ailments.
I will only give passing mention to the consideration of DL Larry Ogunjobi, who has not participated in the preseason at all due to a foot injury, yet Tomlin has offered up no concern about him.
So now we know the candidates, with Gentry and Dotson being the most realistic, even if neither of them are even roster locks at this point. assuming anybody gets moved to the Reserve/Injured List, who might be the likeliest candidates who would be asked to circle back? Anybody without vesting (a player of four or more seasons of accrued experience) does not qualify since he would be subject to waivers. Anybody who is released would almost undoubtedly be informed of their intentions to re-sign him.
Contestant number one for me is WR Miles Boykin. A special teams ace on a minimal contract—not even a signing bonus—he should not be a commodity on the market and would be a more than willing participant to boomerang back onto the roster.
The other candidate I feel most strongly about is CB Chandon Sullivan. Though he was given a $152,000 signing bonus, that doesn’t make a difference if he’s re-signed. He’s likely inside the roster bubble and presumably enjoys being in Pittsburgh with Vikings teammate Patrick Peterson.
I do not include OLB Markus Golden or ILB Kwon Alexander because, frankly, I would be more concerned with them being potentially interested in exploring any kind of market they might find out there if released. Golden in particular with the emergence of Nick Herbig. I would also include DL Armon Watts if I were more confident in the odds of him making the 53-man roster.
DL Breiden Fehoko would be a strong candidate if only he were a vested veteran, but he only has three years of experience. Like Watts, he’s also far from a roster lock. Ironically, an ideal candidate is actually Gentry himself, so if he doesn’t go on IR and, say, Dotson does, he could be released and re-signed.
