Like Breiden Fehoko, the Pittsburgh Steelers are right where we are: sitting at home being mad. Although they managed to make the playoffs in 2023, they lost in the first round. It has now been seven years without a postseason victory, the longest drought in franchise history. The question is what to do next.
The first step is always taking stock of what happened and what is left. That’s part of the exit meeting process, in which coaches meet with each player. They discuss the season and their expectations moving forward—and potentially their role within it.
While we might not know all the details about what goes on between head coach Mike Tomlin and his players during these exit meetings, we do know how we would conduct those meetings if they were let up to us. So here are the Depot’s exit meetings for the Steelers’ roster following the 2023 season.
Player: Breiden Fehoko
Position: Defensive Tackle
Experience: 4 Years
Breiden Fehoko earned fan favorite status too quickly, as time would tell. A big, run-stuffing nose tackle, he had the Steelers’ fans entranced. The only problem is that the coaches didn’t assess him worthy of the 53-man roster. He had a decent enough training camp, but he did not stick out relative to a deep group along the defensive front.
They did re-sign him to the practice squad after waiving him at the end of training camp and later brought him up to the 53-man roster after Cameron Heyward suffered an injury in the opener. But he failed to play a single snap all season even though he dressed for several games. After Heyward’s return, they waived Fehoko again and re-signed him to the practice squad where he remained.
Notably, Fehoko did not sign a Reserve/Future contract after ending the season with the practice squad. That means he is a street free agent and has been for some time, free to sign with anybody. So far, nobody appears to have paid much attention to him.
I’m inclined to believe that if the Steelers offered Fehoko a contract, he would have signed it. Thus, I don’t believe the Steelers decided he fit in their future plans. Of course, they can always circle back to him any time they want, provided he remains available.
They have their new nose tackle in Keeanu Benton, a second-round pick a year ago. They could re-sign Montravius Adams for depth, though they have outside options too. There is a decent market for veteran defensive tackles in free agency, and some are available in the draft, too.
Prior to signing with the Steelers, Fehoko played three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers. He spent most of that time on the practice squad, playing a career-high nine games in 2022 with 279 snaps. Perhaps the Chargers decide to bring him back.
