Who do the Steelers move to make room for Bud Dupree?

by Joe Kuzma (joe_kuzma) on November 15, 2016

If this sounds a little bit like a rehash, it is: I had previously written about who might get moved to make room for Ladarius Green. That turned out to be L.J. Fort, who I’ll mention again below, but the Steelers are in a position of having to make another roster move with the impending return of Bud Dupree.

Pittsburgh can only roster 53 players: Bud Dupree is currently an exemption, originally placed on Injured Reserve, and now moved to the IR Designated to Return exemption, allowing him to return to practice. The Steelers have 21 days to evaluate Dupree’s progress and move him to the active roster (that clock started ticking over a week ago, since Dupree started practicing).

Thus one of the current players on the 53-man roster must be moved to create a spot for Dupree. Here’s a list of players who could be on the chopping block.

Another Injured Reserve Move

My first thought is that one of the currently injured players is placed on Injured Reserve in order to create a spot for Dupree. We saw some movement over the last few weeks, where Cody Wallace was eventually placed on IR after failing to get up to health to play this year. The Steelers had protected his roster spot, along with Senquez Golson, but could no longer hold out on keeping hurt bodies on an active roster that was depleted.

Based on some recent injuries, and only 7 remaining games for players to get healthy, I could see any of the following players as potentially expendable:

Shamarko Thomas

I’ve always felt that Shamarko was expendable, but I also feel he’s a special teams ace that does have value on the team. This is really going to depend on the healthy of safety Jordan Dangerfield, who was ruled out of last Sunday’s game. Do the Steelers hold this many safeties?

Markus Wheaton

I had previously felt Cobi Hamilton could’ve been expendable, but after playing in 92% of the offense’s snaps on Sunday, Hamilton’s role could be safe depending on the healthy of another fellow receiver, Sammie Coates.

This could instead make the now unreliable Markus Wheaton a candidate to be placed on IR. (And by unreliable, I am referring to Wheaton’s health status, not his play.)

Wheaton is in a contract year, and Pittsburgh may feel better moving toward the future than trying to fit Markus back into their offensive plans. Yet, this league is about winning, and if Wheat can return, he would have to do so sooner rather than later. The rumor is that he could miss the next two games (since Indy is on a short week) and that leaves exactly 5, or less, games that he would be available to play in.

The odds may be against him.

Darrius Heyward-Bey

Ditto for bad timing and DHB: if Heyward-Bey’s foot injury doesn’t show a good return time where he could be available before the end of the season, he’s another receiver who could be placed on IR.

The idea that Wheaton or DHB could go to IR is more or less predicated on the fact that Pittsburgh currently has 6 receivers on their roster, and they would not release either (or Hamilton) knowing they won’t clear waivers. The Steelers certainly do not need 6 WRs on their depth chart, so this position is one where they could trim from for Bud’s return.

More candidates from active roster

Al-Hajj Shabazz

Shabazz has been moved on and off the active roster this year, which predicts he could be holding the short straw once again to make a move for Dupree. Once again, this is predicated on the availability of players such as DHB and Thomas, who Shabazz is subbing for while they nurse injuries. If either are ready to go soon, this corner could again be a “release and resign” situation.

Xavier Grimble & David Johnson

I continue to talk about the two reserve tight ends: with Ladarius Green back, having 4 tight ends on the roster is a bit of a luxury, though DJ is mostly considered an H-back, who fulfills the old Will Johnson role on offense.

Roosevelt Nix returned recently as well, and the Steelers kept W. Johnson and Nix on the active roster for all of 2015, so I feel that both of these spots are safe, for the time being.

L.J. Fort

Fort made the final roster and hung on up until Green was moved to the 53 last Saturday. Fort was resigned on Tuesday morning after the Steelers placed Steven Johnson on Injured Reserve; ideally Fort’s spot is safe, because the Steelers are filling Johnson’s spot, and no longer have an “extra” linebacker to drop. Fort will play special teams primarily, though he has seen action in a handful of defensive reps this season.

Brian Mihalik

Waived in August because of an injury, Mihalik returned to the Steelers on October 18th, signed directly to the team’s active roster to provide depth at the tackle position; one they’re in desperately thin at.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised we’ve heard nothing about Mihalik, and I feel the Steelers could move him without risk of another team claiming him from waivers: another release and resign candidate.