With the expansion of NFL practice squads that started as a necessity during the 2020 COVID season, teams have more leniency to stash away veteran players. This was a significant change as it allows for keeping players who can help your team this season rather than the practice squad being mostly a developmental group as it was in the past. The Steelers have greatly benefited from this in a season where attrition on defense has become an increasingly large issue.
Head coach Mike Tomlin has talked about this at multiple points throughout the season. First for guys like ILB Mykal Walker, who had over 100 tackles with the Atlanta Falcons a season ago. Back when he was signed to the 53-man roster, Tomlin talked about how Walker had been on the practice squad so he could prepare himself in case he was needed, not just as a developmental prospect. The time came for Walker’s name to be called following back-to-back weeks of season-ending injuries to ILBs Kwon Alexander and Cole Holcomb earlier in the season.
Now, it could be time to call up more help at inside linebacker with the performance of the group suffering lately. The Steelers signed Myles Jack to their practice squad on Nov. 20th, a little under a month ago, and it seems like he could be in line to play significant snaps in the final few games of the season. CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso released a power ranking of the top players currently on practice squads and Jack came in at the seventh spot on the list.
Jack entered the league in 2016 as a hyper-athletic player for the inside linebacker position. He played for the Steelers in 2022 and tallied 104 tackles. But he was a shell of his former self down the stretch of the season as a knee and groin injury hampered his play. The Steelers released him after the season, and he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in August. He ended up retiring a few weeks later and was out of the league until the Steelers brought him back in November.
In Tomlin’s weekly press conference he talked about Jack and veteran ILB Blake Martinez being in a “two dogs, one bone” competition for playing time. With RB Anthony McFarland Jr. recently waived from the team, there should be some corresponding roster moves coming today prior to the Week 16 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Jack is very much in play to be signed to the 53, though it could also be veteran S Eric Rowe as the Steelers have suffered a tremendous amount of attrition at the safety position recently. Either of those players – and Martinez, who is already on the 53-man roster — will help provide a veteran presence up the middle of the defense to a group that is suddenly lacking experience. It only seems natural for Jack to be that guy due to his experience within the Steelers’ system.
