A Steelers Depot daily segment. A quick hit of some Pittsburgh Steelers-related stories that may not require a complete article but nuggets worth mentioning and passing on to you guys.
Your Depot After Dark for Feb. 12.
Duck Hodges Gets Engaged
It’s been good to be Duck Hodges. The Pittsburgh Steelers for part of the 2019 season, an improbable journey from UDFA out of Samford to the NFL, he’s achieved another big milestone. He’s officially engaged to country singer Lainey Wilson. She posted photos of the moment to her Instagram page and three million followers late Wednesday night.
It was greeted with congratulations from former teammates, including LS Kameron Canaday and OL John Leglue.
Hodges, 28, officially retired after a stint with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2021.
INSIDER BELIEVES RAMS TRADE STAFFORD
There’s a lot of buzz about who the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback will be in 2025. Outside of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, they’ll have other veteran options. Matthew Stafford could be a possibility if the Los Angeles Rams decide to trade him. It sounds like one insider believes that could happen.
Appearing on Up and Adams with Kay Adams, insider James Palmer was asked to name one superstar he believes could be traded before the draft. He answered by saying Stafford and also tossed out Pittsburgh as a potential destination for the veteran quarterback. Perhaps there’s some hope that the Steelers can upgrade at quarterback.
PICKENS CATCH TOP 20
George Pickens had an up-and-down season last year but still made plenty of unbelievable catches. That might be his greatest skill. Pickens has often said he’s always open, which might be true. Russell Wilson certainly gave him plenty of opportunities. It seems like the NFL believes Pickens made one of the year’s best catches.
On their YouTube channel, the NFL uploaded what they believe to be the top 100 catches of the 2024 season. The Steelers’ highest entry was made by Pickens. His spectacular bobbling grab against the New York Jets came in at 19. It’s a testament to how incredible other players are that Pickens’ catch doesn’t crack the top 10. Maybe next year, he’ll pull off an even more fantastic snag.
STEELERS MET WITH LB
Last year, the Steelers made significant upgrades to their linebacker corps. They signed Patrick Queen and drafted Payton Wilson, both solid contributors. With the offseason here, we’ll see if they continue to add to that group. They seem to be doing their due diligence on the linebackers in the upcoming draft.
According to Justin M of The Draft Network on Twitter, the Steelers met with University of Mississippi linebacker Chris Paul Jr. at the Shrine Bowl. Paul was a productive player in college, playing at the University of Arkansas from 2021 to 2023. He didn’t play in the actual Shrine Bowl game, but he was solid in practices. We’ll see if Paul lands with the Steelers in a few months.
