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 LB Tyler Murray.
Tyler Murray/LB Memphis – 6011, 226 pounds
I misspoke when I wrote last time we had just one more report in this 2024 series remaining. RB Aaron Shampklin will be our last later this offseason. I nearly missed Murray in the long list of players who signed shortly after the offseason, part of a second wave of prospects signed nearly ten days after the Steelers’ season concluded. But it technically wasn’t his first time in Pittsburgh, signed by the team for a week in November before being released around Thanksgiving.
Dating back to college, Murray was a well-travelled man. Growing up in Florida, he began his career at Troy. That stint lasted two years, one as a starter. He transferred to Charlotte for the next two seasons, standing out with 78 tackles (5.5 for a loss) and 1.5 sacks in 2021. His last college season brought on another school change, moving to Memphis for 2022.
“Memphis has a great culture and a great atmosphere,” Murray said via the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I wanted to be a part of getting Memphis back on the map.”
Mission largely accomplished. The Tigers had a winning season and secured a bowl win in blowout fashion, 38-10 in the First Responder Bowl. Murray finished only fourth on the team with 67 tackles but tied third in tackles for loss (six) and picked off a pair of passes.
At his 2023 Pro Day ahead of the draft, his testing was solid. A 4.65 40-yard dash, 35.5-inch vertical, and 23 reps on the bar, though change-of-direction drills weren’t kind to him. His short shuttle was a 4.51, his three cone an interior lineman-like 7.55. For reference, sixth round pick Logan Lee was nearly a half-second faster.
He signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent. Carried through the summer, he played inside linebacker in the preseason along with 24 special teams snaps. The Bengals briefly carried him on the practice squad before waiving him prior to Week 1. Like any other football player no longer in school and suddenly on the street, Murray found himself work in an Amazon warehouse. That was his job until the Steelers picked him up to their practice squad in November following Kwon Alexander’s season-ending Achilles tear. Once Myles Jack was coaxed out of retirement, Murray was released and presumably, worked the Black Friday shift back at Amazon.
But Pittsburgh kept him on speed dial. With Jack – and Mykal Walker – stop-gaps chosen for their experience, Murray is the only one with the team. His path to a 53-man roster spot will be treacherous after the team signed Patrick Queen and drafted Payton Wilson. Mark Robinson has a strong leg up for the fifth inside linebacker spot but the team has never been fully sold on him. Perhaps that opens the door for Murray. At the least, he’ll fight to stick longer on the practice squad than his current “high” of one week. Avoiding going back to a life of fulfilling your Amazon cart is plenty of motivation.
