On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers had to cut down their roster to 53, which led to some tough decisions. That included letting go of some names Steeler Nation is very familiar with, such as Marcus Allen, Justin Layne, and Anthony McFarland.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin and Justin Layne (#31) during the 2022 preseason at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Prior to finalizing their 53-man roster, the Steelers actually made two additions via trade to help improve their depth at two positions that definitely needed addressed.
They completed two trades to acquire OLB Malik Reed from the Denver Broncos, as well as acquired OL Jesse Davis from the Minnesota Vikings. Both of them are veteran players with a good amount of starting experience which the Steelers definitely needed for depth at both of those positions.
Reed was acquired along with a 2023 7th round pick in exchange for a 2023 6th round pick, while Davis was acquired for a conditional 2025 7th round pick. Both were expected to be released by their former teams due to crowded position rooms, so the Steelers were able to get both of them for next to nothing.
Steelers Add Much Needed Depth To Offensive Line And Outside Linebacker
Both moves have been viewed as solid decisions from people around the league, and that includes a former NFL Pro Bowl offensive lineman, Mark Schlereth. Schlereth spent time with both the Washington Redskins and Broncos during his 12 NFL seasons, being elected to two Pro Bowls and being part of three Super Bowl winning teams.
Schlereth currently works for 104.3 The Fan in Denver, but on Tuesday, he joined 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh after the Steelers made both of their trades. Steeler Nation will be happy to hear that Schlereth believes the Steelers acquired two solid players.
Here is what he had to say about Reed:
"Malik Reed can rush the passer. Malik Reed is a really good edge player. ... He is a guy that I thought personally they [The Broncos] shouldn't get rid of. ... Malik Reed is a very productive player, and every time he gets an opportunity, he just goes out and flat makes plays."
Anytime someone says they hope the team that they report on and/or played for doesn't get rid of a player, usually it means they are productive and perform at a high level. So that is a very good indictment for Reed and Steeler Nation should be really happy they have proven depth now behind their starters, TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith, on the edge.
The Steelers thought they had that proven depth when they signed Genard Avery early this off-season, but to the surprise of many, Avery was released last week.
Reed has started a total of 34 games across his three-year NFL career, and during that time, he has been a solid option against both the run and as a pass rusher. Over the last two seasons, he accumulated 13 sacks, which will give the Steelers some needed juice off the bench.
Malik Reed (#59) with the Denver Broncos. | Credit: AP Photo / Brian Blanco
In addition to the Reed acquisition, Schlereth's comments on the Davis acquisition are also something that the fans should be happy to hear:
"He is one of those guys that can play multiple positions. One of the reasons he is valuable in the NFL is because you can put him in at right tackle, you can put him in at right guard, you can put him in at left guard. He has played a bunch of different positions. He becomes one of those guys that is smart. ... He is a versatile player. Ya know, is he a great or dominant player? No. But he is not going to hurt you from a mental mistake standpoint. He is going to be where he is supposed to be."
Everyone knows that Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin and crew love versatile offensive linemen that can play several positions, and Davis definitely fits that bill. He has started a total of 72 games across his five-year NFL career, with experience playing all four offensive line positions except center.
Currently, the Steelers' oldest starting offensive lineman is their center, Mason Cole, at just 26 years old. Adding some proven veteran depth like Davis, especially with his starting experience, never hurts with a young starting group.
Jesse Davis (#77) with the Miami Dolphins. | Credit: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
Davis will take over the swing tackle duties that were held last season by Joe Haeg, who was released Monday as the team got their roster down to 53. Davis and Haeg are similar players, but Davis has a lot more starting experience, especially recently with Haeg not starting more than six games in a season since 2017. Davis is also a slight cost savings which is a nice bonus.
Getting talented players at a discount because their current team is about to move on is something that the Steelers have made the norm year in and year out. Kevin Colbert was an expert at getting players for next to nothing to improve the team's roster, and now Omar Khan has appeared to follow that same trend.
Do you like the acquisitions the Steelers made in Davis and Reed? Let us know below in the comments!
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