The Steelers have signed Garrett Hartley according to his agent Erik Burkhardt.
https://twitter.com/ErikBurkhardt/status/631147475890491397
I reported earlier that he was one of 3 kickers the team was hosting for tryouts today. Out of those 3, Hartley was the most promising in my opinion. We’ll get to see him on Friday in Jacksonville.
Steelers restricted free agent corner Antwon Blake has signed his tender. He confirmed the news via Twitter.
https://twitter.com/ZillaMane41/status/584108236027990016
The tender guarantees Blake $1.54 Mil for 2015. Since coming to Pittsburgh in 2013, he has contributed in 14 regular season games, 10 of which were last season. With the loss of Ike Taylor and Brice McCain, Blake’s value has risen this offseason.
The other two restricted free agents who were tendered- Will Johnson and Robert Golden, have yet to sign their tenders.
The Steelers have tendered offers to all 3 of their restricted free agents. CB Antwon Blake, S Robert Golden, and TE Will Johnson have all been offered the lowest round tender of $1.542 Mil. The team would not receive compensation if they were signed by another team, but by tendering them, they have the right of first refusal.
It was anyone’s guess as to whether or not the team would tender all three of them, but there isn’t really a wrong answer here. The Steelers can also sign the players to long term deals do get their numbers down.
I’d wager this year will be relatively drama free on the RFA front for a change.
The Steelers have agreed to terms with veteran tight end Matt Spaeth today.
https://twitter.com/ScottBrown_ESPN/status/575009305159712768
The contract is for two years. The financial terms aren’t immediately available. Spaeth was originally drafted by the Steelers in the 3rd round of the 2007 draft. After leaving to play with the Bears for a couple seasons, Spaeth returned to Pittsburgh in 2013.
While not a sexy signing, Spaeth brings a lot to the table as a blocker. About staying in Pittsburgh, the 6’7″ tight end said, “I think of Pittsburgh as home now. This organization is the best in the world, and I am just happy to be back.”
The Steelers have re-signed veteran linebacker Arthur Moats. The deal is for 3 years, with a total value of $7.5 Mil according to reports.
https://twitter.com/steelers/status/574991302154153984
https://twitter.com/dabody52/status/574983855599415297
https://twitter.com/CamHeyward/status/574988488015286272
Re-signing Moats was a key part of the offseason plan. Moats was a solid contributor last season. Over the course of the 337 snaps he saw on defense, he had 4 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. While he contributed on both sides at outside linebacker, he was also a productive special teamer. While the Steelers still need to lock down the OLB position, this takes takes some of the pressure off.
The Steelers have signed former CFL linebacker Ian Wild to a Reserve/Futures contract.
https://twitter.com/wild_ian/status/561218583712526337
Wild was with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the past two years. The 6’0, 210 lbs LB was set to be a free agent, but the team released him from his contract early so that he could sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Wild was a UDFA out of Mercyhurst in 2012. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills, but was released shortly after. He played strong safety and lacrosse in college, but shined as a linebacker in the CFL. The Steelers will bring him in as a safety and perhaps utilize his long snapping abilities, as he has experience there as well.
Here are some of his highlights from college, the regional combine in 2013, and in the CFL.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsGJ7lM2j8s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5gOhd1aKxE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enVjxAmi5WQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjyA8qtqaY0
The Steelers have added another player to their off-season roster this week. Former Rams offensive tackle Mitchell Van Dyk has been signed to a reserve/futures contract.
https://twitter.com/SteelersPRBurt/status/555831813416185856
https://twitter.com/Mitch64psu/status/555445064927694848
Van Dyk was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2014 draft. The Portland State OT is 6’7″, 313 lb and did 14 bench reps at his Pro Day.
He spent the summer with St. Louis and did about how you’d expect a 7th round lineman to do in preseason.
The Steelers have signed former Bengals SS Isaiah Lewis to a reserve/futures contract.
https://twitter.com/SteelersPRBurt/status/555133824523186176
Lewis is 5’10, 208 lbs. The Bengals signed the former Michigan State safety as an undrafted free agent last spring, but waived him before the season began last August. Lewis began his college career as a nickel corner, but started at SS for the last 3 years.
Lewis was projected to be a mid round prospect going into his senior year, but an arthroscopic knee surgery early in the season effected his play, and subsequently his draft stock. Here are some of his highlights from Michigan State.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQJPe0N8_XM
The Steelers have signed seven players to Reserve/Future contracts. All of the signings were players who finished the season on the Steelers practice squad.
LB Howard Jones
DE Joe Kruger
OT Alejandro Villanueva
TE Rob Blanchflower
DB Kevin Fogg
WR CJ Goodwin
DE Ethan Hemer
Reserve/Futures contracts are just that- contracts signed for the future league year. Players who are not currently on an active roster can be signed to these deals so they can be retained for the following league year. The 2015 league year begins at 4:00 pm on March 10.
The Steelers have signed CB Kevin Fogg to the practice squad. I reported earlier that Fogg was in for a workout, and you can see more about him here. His agent confirmed the news on Twitter this afternoon.
https://twitter.com/TR_RES/status/542392554461736960
The team will have to make a corresponding roster move to make room for the addition.
Earlier I mentioned that the Steelers had other unnamed players in for tryouts today, and I can provide an update on one of them. CB Anthony Gaitor was also in for a workout. Gaitor was drafted by the Bucs in 2011. His measureables are very similar to Fogg’s.