With the signing of S Will Allen, the Steelers have announced that DaMon Cromartie-Smith has been waived/injured. Cromartie-Smith suffered an injury to his hip flexor during the loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London. Will Allen’s release by the Cowboys couldn’t have been timed better, as he is more familiar with this defense than any active safety not currently on the roster.
Gerry Dulac of the Post-Gazette reports that the team has signed S Will Allen. Allen was in for a workout with the Steelers yesterday, after being released by the Cowboys earlier this week. Allen has seen less and less playing time with the Cowboys each week, mostly because they are pretty loaded at the safety position. This signing likely means that Damon Cromartie-Smith’s hip flexor injury would hinder him for a long period of time, and he’ll likely be released.
Will Allen’s signing will be for the veteran minimum. Since he’s played with the Cowboys for the first 5 weeks, the Steelers will only be responsible for the prorated portion of his salar which is $620,000.
For the Steelers-
Did Not Practice: Markus Wheaton (finger).
Limited: DaMon Cromartie Smith (hip flexor).
Full: Ben Roethlisberger (finger) and Ramon Foster (pectoral).
Markus Wheaton has already been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Jets.
For the Jets-
DNP- Santonio Holmes, Kellen Winslow, Kenrick Ellis, and Clyde Gates.
Limited: Dee Millner and Jaiquawn Jarrett.
Former Steelers safety Will Allen is at the Steelers facility for a workout according to multiple reports. Allen was released by the Cowboys yesterday. Allen spent three seasons with the Steelers before signing with the Cowboys as a free agent this spring. Stay tuned for updates as they come in.
The Steelers have announced that they have signed former Steelers LB Stevenson Sylvester. LB Kion Wilson has been released. I reported earlier that the team had Sylvester in for a workout yesterday. Sylvester has been a free agent since being cut by the team on August 25th. Coach Tomlin said that Kion Wilson was a partial participant in practice yesterday. He injured his hamstring during the loss to the Vikings. Tomlin also mentioned that Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith was questionable with an injured hip flexor, so Sylvester’s services may likely be needed mainly to help on special teams.
LB Stevenson Sylvester, TE Chase Clement, and TE Ryan Otten were reportedly in Pittsburgh earlier this week for workouts with the team.
The team parted ways with Sly on August 25th, when the training camp roster was reduced down to 75. Drafted by the Steelers with the 166th pick in the 2010 draft, Sylvester has remained unsigned since being cut by the Steelers.
Clement was a UDFA out of LSU who was signed by the Giants this spring and cut in August. He was originally a defensive linemen in college, but converted to tight end, and was used mainly as a blocker. The Giants had hoped to use him as fullback hybrid, and one staff member said he saw similarities to Jake Ballard. Clement is 6′ 4″ and 265 lbs. His uncle is former Lions offensive linemen Eric Andolsek.
Otten is a 6′ 5″, 230 lb tight end who was signed by the Jaguars as an UDFA out of San Jose State U this spring. He was cut by the Jaguars in August.
Update- Otten was reportedly signed to the Chargers practice squad yesterday afternoon.
I’m sure you were asking yourself ‘I wonder where Brian Moorman and Dennis Dixon are now’, right? The Buffalo Bills added Dennis Dixon to their practice squad today. The former Steeler and Oregon Duck, who some thought could be a successful starter in the NFL someday, was cut by the Eagles on August 30th. Dixon was drafted in the 5th round by the Steelers in the 2008 draft. He has been a free agent since being cut by his former coach in August. Dixon worked out for the Bills on Saturday and was added to their practice squad today. The Steelers host the Bills November 10th at 1:00 pm. Of course that’s probably irrelevant, as the odds of Dixon even being on their team by then are probably slim, let alone being promoted to the active roster.
The Bills also signed P Brian Moorman yesterday. Moorman was with the Steelers during training camp before ultimately losing the roster battle to Drew Butler.
The Steelers depth chart for week 6 is out, and there are a couple notable changes for the Jets game this Sunday. Kelvin Beachum is listed as the starting left tackle. Levi Brown is listed as the number two, and behind him at number three is Mike Adams. Felix Jones and Le’Veon Bell are listed as co-starters at running back (seems like Bell is the clear #1 there), with Jonathan Dwyer behind them and Isaac Redman following on the third team. On the other side of the ball, Cam Heyward is the starting left defensive end, and Ziggy Hood is listed behind him on the depth chart.
Coach Tomlin said in his press conference today that while he didn’t want to take anything away from Ziggy, they want Heyward to get on the field more than he has been, and to assure that, he’s been moved to the starting lineup. Here is the depth chart.
According to Ed Bouchette of the Post-Gazette, Markus Wheaton says he will miss the Jets game due to his broken pinky finger. Wheaton told reporters that he will not have his stitches removed until next Monday, and Coach Tomlin said recently that the team will wait until he gets his stitches out to determine the next step for him. With the absence of Wheaton this week, will the coaching staff give Derek Moye snaps for the first time since scoring a touchdown against the Bengals in week two?
The Steelers have signed CB Isaiah Green to their practice squad today. Green was released from the 53 man roster last week to make room for the acquisition of OT Levi Brown. Green spent the first two weeks of the season on the practice squad, before being signed to the active roster. He was inactive for the two games the team played while being on the roster.