Player: S Trenton Thompson
Stock Value: Sold
Reasoning: The Steelers announced that they waived S Trenton Thompson yesterday. The second-year man showed some promise last season before suffering a neck injury that ended his season. It is unclear why the Steelers are releasing him, but he seemingly participated in the offseason program.
Trenton Thompson probably wasn’t going to change the Steelers’ season. Still, I was hoping to watch him compete for a spot on the 53-man roster this year. A former college free agent, he got an opportunity to play last year due to injury. He made the most of it, registering 22 tackles, an interception, and three passes defensed in six games, one start.
The Steelers waived Thompson yesterday, however. While they can always re-sign him at a later date, which happens from time to time, this likely signals the end of his time with the team. They also waived WR Denzel Mims, so they have two open roster spots. In other words, you can’t explain the move by suggesting they’re preparing to make a move. They could make a move, of course, but they didn’t need to make this particular move.
I suspect that it could be a good sign for rookie Ryan Watts, who spent a lot of time at safety during the spring. A college cornerback, they are using him all over the secondary. Thompson is only one safety out of the way, however. They still have Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeShon Elliott, Damontae Kazee, and Miles Killebrew, all presumed roster locks.
Trenton Thompson logged 212 defensive snaps for the Steelers last season, along with 58 special teams snaps. A college free agent out of San Diego State, he played one game with the New York Giants in 2022. He earned playing time with the Steelers following injuries to Fitzpatrick and Keanu Neal.
Unfortunately for Thompson, he suffered a neck injury that ultimately ended his season. The injury prevented him from securing a golden opportunity to start at the end of the year. Due to injuries, the Steelers ended up starting Patrick Peterson and Eric Rowe in the final weeks.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
