In addition to Jacob Copeland, who was signed, the Pittsburgh Steelers also worked out WR Isaiah Coulter, DT Phil Hoskins, DE Terrance Lang, DL Jacob Slade, DL Taylor Stallworth, DL Spencer Waege and WR Duece Watts. They also hosted LB Kyron Johnson on a visit. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston reported the news.
With injuries to Cameron Heyward and Diontae Johnson, the Steelers are doing their due diligence and looking to add depth at wide receiver and defensive line. They signed Copeland, but they have an extra spot on the practice squad due to releasing two guys earlier, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see one of Hoskins, Lang, Slade, Stallworth, Johnson or Waege get added.
Copeland was added earlier today with the team releasing CB Luq Barcoo and RB Greg Bell. Coulter was drafted in the fifth round in 2020 by the Houston Texans out of Rhode Island, and he’s also spent time with the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals. He’s played in four NFL games, with one target in 2021. He received an NFL Combine invite in 2020, running a 4.45 40-yard dash while measuring in at 6017 and 198 pounds. He also posted a 36′ vertical leap and 10’01” broad jump.
Watts played at Tulane, posting 29 receptions for 564 yards and seven touchdowns for the Green Wave last year. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent but was waived ahead of roster cutdowns. He measured at 6012 and 196 pounds at his Pro Day but ran just a 4.59 40-yard dash.
Hoskins was a seventh-round pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Kentucky, and he’s also spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs. Hoskins has played in eight games, all with Carolina, registering six tackles and one sack against the Miami Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa in 2021. He’s a big dude at 6044 and 313 pounds, and he put up 20 reps on the bench press while vertical jumping 30 1/2 inches at his Pro Day. He has 34 3/8 inch arms and an 83 3/8 inch wingspan.
Lang signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado in April but was cut in August. He measured in at 6040 and 280 pounds at his Pro Day, where the defensive end ran a 5.02 40-yard dash and 2.93 20-yard dash. He also broad jumped 09’04” and has 34 3/4 inch arms. During five seasons at Colorado, he had 92 tackles, 20 of which were for a loss, and 8.5 career sacks. He also had seven passes defensed, using his size and length well.
Slade played in 42 games for Michigan State, latching on with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in May. He was cut in August ahead of final roster cuts, though, and the 6031, 285-pound defensive lineman ran a 4.95 40-yard dash at the Spartans’ Pro Day in March while putting up 24 reps on the bench press. He had 86 tackles, 11.5 for a loss and four sacks during his college career.
Johnson might be the most intriguing name on the list, playing 16 games for the Philadelphia Eagles last season. He had eight tackles in 265 special teams’ snaps, and that experience as a special teamer could pique Pittsburgh’s interest. He was a sixth-round pick by the Eagles in 2022 out of Kansas, where he had 12.5 sacks and 193 tackles in five seasons as a member of the Jayhawks. He would work off the edge in Pittsburgh, measuring at 6003 and 231 pounds at his Pro Day and flashing good speed with a 4.40 40-yard dash.
Stallworth was released from the Cleveland Browns practice squad today, so it didn’t take him long to be considered for another opportunity. He’s been around the league a bit, undrafted out of South Carolina in 2018, signing with the New Orleans Saints as an UDFA. He’s also spent time with the Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans. He has 52 total tackles and 4.5 sacks in his NFL career. He measured at 6022 and 312 pounds at his 2018 Pro Day.
Waege is a former North Dakota State Bison, who was waived by the San Francisco 49ers in August. He was a two-time FCS All-American who played 57 games for NDSU, finishing his career with 104 tackles, 10.5 sacks, four punt blocks and one fumble recovery, one interception and two touchdowns. He measured at 6046 and 295 pounds at his Pro Day on March 29, running a 4.91 40-yard dash. He measured with 32 3/8-inch arms.
With one spot left on the practice squad, it remains to be seen if the Steelers sign one of the guys they worked out today or look for other options to fill out their practice squad.
