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90 In 30: Steelers 2024 Training Camp Preview Series — Tyler Murray, Larry Ogunjobi, Cordarrelle Patterson

By Dave Bryan

Posted on July 9, 2024 at 7:15 am

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2024 offseason practices concluded in the middle of June. Next up is the team’s annual training camp, which gets underway in the latter part of July at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. Ahead of Steelers training camp, we will preview the team’s offseason roster three players at a time as part of a multi-post series. This Steelers roster preview, which includes outlooks for every player, will be done alphabetically by last name to make it easy to follow. This series figures to exceed 90 players this year as the team can carry 91 players in total during the offseason due to the allowance of one international player designation.

The next set of players we will preview ahead of the Steelers’ 2024 training camp are Tyler Murray, Larry Ogunjobi, and Cordarrelle Patterson.

ILB Tyler Murray: A Memphis product by way of Charlotte and Troy, Murray entered the NFL in 2023 with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent. While Murray ultimately began his rookie season on the Bengals’ practice squad, his stay on that unit lasted just a week. Murray did not surface again until the middle of November when he was signed to the Steelers’ practice squad. His stay on that unit, however, lasted just a week. The Steelers did decide to sign Murray to a Reserve/Future contract after the 2023 season ended.

Last year during the preseason, Murray played 45 defensive snaps and 24 more on special teams as a member of the Bengals. He mainly played off-the-ball linebacker for the Bengals and registered nine total tackles with one for a loss. He also totaled a special teams tackle in those three preseason games.

In his four college seasons, Murray registered 259 total tackles, 21.5 for loss, 4.5 sacks, eight interceptions, eight passes defensed, five fumble recoveries and six forced fumbles.

Outlook: Murray finds himself in a very crowded Pittsburgh inside linebacker room that now includes rookie Payton Wilson, a third-round selection this year. That room also includes veteran inside linebacker Cole Holcomb, who is attempting to return from a serious knee injury sustained last season. In short, Murray has a huge uphill battle ahead of him this summer. His path to a 53-man roster spot is virtuality non-existent barring injuries.

In reality, Murray figures to be battling for a practice squad spot this summer, especially due to him being very inexperienced at the NFL level and with extremely limited practice squad time. He is one of those players who would do well by merely sticking on the offseason roster throughout the preseason.

Murray needs to stay healthy moving forward into training camp and then make plays in whatever limited preseason snaps he garners, especially the special teams snaps. If he does all of that, he will have a chance at a practice squad spot.

DT Larry Ogunjobi: In March 2023, the Steelers re-signed Ogunjobi to a three year, $28.75 million contract that included $17 million in guaranteed salary, $12 million of which was fully guaranteed. Overall, the amount of that deal was surprising based on how Ogunjobi had played in 2022, his first season in Pittsburgh.

All told, Ogunjobi registered 43 total tackles during the 2023 regular season to go along with three sacks, one forced fumble, two passes defensed, and two fumble recoveries. Just three of his tackles resulted in losses, however. In total, Ogunjobi played 767 regular-season snaps in 2023 with 57 more coming on special teams. In last season’s lone playoff game, Ogunjobi tallied five total tackles with one resulting in lost yards.

To his credit, Ogunjobi did not miss a game in 2023 and that was the first time he accomplished that feat since 2018, his second season in the NFL.

Outlook: Now 30 years old, the 2024 season is a very meaningful one for Ogunjobi. It will decide if he sees his final contractual year in 2025. He will be a starter again on the Steelers’ defensive line in 2024 along with Cameron Heyward and Keeanu Benton. We can probably expect another 700 or so total defensive snaps being played by Ogunjobi in 2024, assuming he stays healthy again.

The Steelers could really use the 2021 version of Ogunjobi in 2024. That 2021 season included him registering seven sacks and 16 quarterback hits. Overall, Ogunjobi was just an average player in 2023. Specifically, his play against the run in 2023 left a lot to be desired. With him now being even further removed from his late 2021 foot injury, Ogunjobi will be expected to have his best season to date in Pittsburgh, especially if the Steelers’ defensive front five all remain healthy for most of the year.

At the very least, Ogunjobi should probably have five sacks in 2024 in addition to showing better overall play against the run. If he can accomplish both of those things, it will be hard to not allow him to play out the final year of his contract in 2025.

KR/RB Cordarrelle Patterson: The Steelers signed Patterson to a two-year, $6 million contract in early April and now the former first-round selection of the Minnesota Vikings is set to play his 12th NFL season. Patterson spent the last three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons where he played for new Steelers OC Arthur Smith. In those three seasons, Patterson registered 1,494 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on 347 total attempts. He also caught 82 passes for 708 yards and six touchdowns as a member of the Falcons.

In 2023, Patterson logged 177 total offensive snaps and 76 more on special teams. He lined up all over the place in Atlanta’s offense and that included some snaps in the slot.

Patterson also continued to return kickoffs during his time in Atlanta, and in the last three seasons he totaled 34 of them for 871 yards and a touchdown. His long for a score was 103 yards.

Outlook: The timing of Patterson’s signing with the Steelers happened right after the NFL voted to approve the new kickoff rule so that speaks volumes as a whole when it comes to the veteran player. Patterson will be one of two deep kickoff returners for the Steelers in 2024 and the hope is that it pays huge dividends for a franchise that hasn’t been great in the kickoff return phase in a long time.

While Patterson was originally drafted in 2013 to be a wide receiver, he has since transitioned into playing more running back and thus functioning as a ball carrier and especially during his time playing in Atlanta under Smuth. Even so, Patterson can still be used anywhere in the Steelers offense. He should technically be the team’s third string running back option come the start of the 2024 regular season.

Barring injuries to running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, it’s reasonable to expect Patterson to see the field on offense anywhere from three to eight times a game. 80-100 total offensive snaps for Patterson in 2024 seems very plausible. A kickoff return or two for a touchdown by Patterson in 2024 also seems very plausible.

Previous Posts In This Series:

Related Items:2024 Training Camp, Cordarrelle Patterson, Larry Ogunjobi, Tyler Murray

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