The Pittsburgh Steelers worked out eight players on Tuesday per NFL reporter Aaron Wilson via the league’s daily transaction sheet. The team worked out: WR Josh Ali, WR Andy Isabella, EDGE Eku Leota (signed), LB Yvandy Rigby, EDGE Thomas Rush, WR Kyle Sheets, LB/EDGE Zeke Vandenburgh, and LB Craig Young.
As his tweet notes and as the team announced earlier today, they signed Leota to the practice squad. It was part of a slew of roster moves the team made, headlined by releasing CB Darius Rush and S Jalen Elliott from the 53-man roster while adding Leota and RB La’Mical Perine to the practice squad.
Isabella’s workout was reported earlier today, and he’s the biggest name on the list. A speedy receiver from UMass, he was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2019 draft. But he didn’t succeed there and has bounced around since being released by the Cardinals in October 2022. He last spent time with the Buffalo Bills this summer and has caught 33 NFL passes.
Ali played college football at Kentucky and went undrafted in 2022. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons and appeared in a pair of games as a rookie, logging one target but failing to catch the pass. He spent part of 2023 on injured reserve and was waived by the Falcons this August. He measured in at 5113, 191 pounds at his 2022 Pro Day.
Rigby is an undrafted free agent from Temple who signed with the New England Patriots this summer. He recorded 207 career tackles and four sacks in college, including 82 with the Owls in 2022. He’s yet to appear in an NFL game. During his Pro Day workout, he weighed in at 6007, 239 pounds and ran a 4.62 40-yard dash.
Out of Minnesota, Rush went undrafted in 2023 before latching on with the Tennessee Titans. He spent his rookie year on their practice squad and was signed to a Reserve/Futures contract after the season. Tennessee carried him through the offseason and preseason before waiving him during cutdowns. Rush hasn’t appeared in a game but offers good size at 6031, 251 pounds, with a 7.04 three-cone at his Gophers Pro Day in 2023.
Sheets is a wide receiver from nearby Slippery Rock. He signed a UDFA contract with the New Orleans Saints in April but was waived in June. Our Josh Carney wrote a scouting report on him before the draft, praising his long speed and catch radius. He also brings size at 6027, 217 pounds with a 37-inch vertical.
We also profiled Vandenburgh in 2023 when he came out of Illinois State. With good size at 6036, 234 pounds, he started 33 games and racked up 256 tackles throughout his college career, including 43.5 for a loss and 24 sacks. He signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted in 2023 and was rostered until being waived/injured in August.
Finally, Young is a rookie linebacker from Kansas. Also undrafted, he was with the Indianapolis Colts this summer before being waived in late August. Earlier this year, he weighed in at 6030, 226 pounds with a 4.57 40-yard dash. Splitting time between Ohio State and Kansas, Young recorded 126 career tackles, including 41 in 2023.
