As we’ve done in previous years, we’re taking a look at those Pittsburgh Steelers under futures contracts for the 2024 offseason. The ones who spent most of if not the entire year on the practice squad and what we can expect from them during training camp and (hopefully) into the regular season. Today, an outlook on OL Joey Fisher.
Joey Fisher/OL Shepherd – 6041, 296 pounds
If you’re looking for a rough-and-tumble customer up front, Joey Fisher is your man. A tackle at Division II Shepherd in the powerhouse PSAC, Fisher has become an interior lineman at the NFL level. But regardless of where he plays, his run blocking, toughness, and tenacity shine through.
A deep sleeper in the 2023 NFL Draft cycle, we had a profile on Fisher prior to April’s main event. Our Tom Mead looked under the couch cushions for some Shepherd tape and came away with this conclusion:
“Fisher has good balance and pad level in his pass sets. He has patience with his hands, uses them independently and shows good timing and quickness on punches and chops. He has a good anchor and reacts well to inside counters with good mental processing on stunts and twists. In the run game, he was best in power/gap runs where he could use his play strength, sustain and leg drive to move defenders. He has the agility and athleticism to pull, fold and lead on screens.
Areas to improve include getting more depth to handle speed rushes and counters to his right. Consistency with hand placement inside the defender to not expose his chest will be beneficial. Identifying his target on screens and improving his quickness to get across the face of the defender on the back side of runs would also be helpful.”
Mead placed a fifth-round grade on him. Fisher had the chance to “play up” on the draft All-Star circuit, attending every game he could. Hula Bowl, NFLPA Bowl, and Senior Bowl. The Senior Bowl is the marquee event and unfortunately, Fisher broke his hand during the NFLPA Bowl, rendering him unable to play in Mobile. But he still attended and received high praise from Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy for his commitment and toughness.
Despite that setback and NFL Scouting Combine snub, Fisher crushed his Pro Day workout. Showing off his strength and weight room work ethic, he put up 40 reps on the bench press, better than any mark at the combine.
While Nagy indicated he was hearing Fisher could go in the fourth- to sixth-round range, he fell out of the draft entirely. The pitfalls of being a D-II lineman with a pre-draft injury. He didn’t sign with the Steelers initially, opting to go west and ink a rookie deal with the San Francisco 49ers. Fisher logged 37 preseason snaps, all at left guard, before being waived ahead of final cutdowns.
That’s when he made his way to Pittsburgh. It’s unclear if the 49ers offered him a practice squad spot but the Steelers signed him there on Aug. 31. Fisher was carried there until mid-November when injuries began to eat away at the team at linebacker. He spent three weeks with the Cleveland Browns from December into the new year before being waived. Pittsburgh brought him back on Jan. 17 following its playoff loss.
Fisher will have the chance to go through a full offseason with the Steelers and his second year in the NFL. Both are good for his development and comfort. He isn’t the biggest guy at 6-4, 300 pounds with 32-inch arms. But if you can run block, you have a chance to contribute in Pittsburgh. Being able to show multi-guard versatility would be ideal for his chances of sticking. He could be competing with Spencer Anderson for a backup job in 2024 and Anderson’s versatility currently gives him a leg up.
