A pair of Pittsburgh Steelers players were given some rough news recently. Undrafted tight end DJ Thomas-Jones was told he tore his Achilles, although a second opinion showed otherwise. He is still likely to miss significant playing time, which could lead to him being cut. On Monday, running back Cordarrelle Patterson personally announced that he had been released. That leaves two open roster spots for Pittsburgh to fill before starting the second week of training camp.
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Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back and return man, Cordarrelle Patterson (84), runs with the ball during a minicamp practice at the UPMC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA.
To fill those holes, the Steelers have brought in five separate players for tryouts: tight ends Baylor Cupp, Kevin Foelsch, and Thomas Yassmin, as well as running backs Jarveon Howard and Lew Nichols. All of them were reportedly in Pittsburgh to work out. As of now, none of them have been signed yet. Any contract signing will likely be announced Tuesday morning, when training camp resumes officially.
Of the five players, Cupp was the only one that had taken snaps in an NFL game before, as he made one appearance with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was a backup all throughout college, so if the Steelers sign him, he will likely have to earn a spot on the practice squad by performing well on special teams. From there, he can try to make his way back onto the field for the regular season.
Meanwhile, Foelsch (has now signed with Pittsburgh) had a better college career, but he played for the New Haven Chargers in Division II. He has bounced around from team to team since he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2024. Like with Cupp, playing well on kicks and punts will likely be the best way for him to find a roster spot after cutdown day. He showed promise in D-II; now he's looking for a chance to prove that being at a low level is not a downside from him.
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Utah's Thomas Yassmin celebrates a touchdown in the Rose Bowl against Penn State.
Unlike the others, Yassmin has shown promise in Division 1 FBS, but he has been held back by injuries from his senior year. The Australia native stuck with the Denver Broncos throughout the whole 2024 season. Out of all the tight ends, Yassmin seems to be the one with the most upside at the NFL level, but that's for the Steelers to decide during tryouts.
Even though the Steelers' tight end room seems to already be set in stone, they are always looking for more. Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith loves that position, and his teams always run the most 12 and 13 personnel sets in the NFL. He would be more than happy to have some more depth pieces at the position to work and develop. He may also like more options at running back for his run-first offense.
Steelers' Options At Running Back
Howard most recently played for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the UFL, where he racked up 310 yards and three touchdowns. He last played in college back in 2021, so he is the furthest out from those days. Being a low-end starter / high-end backup at that level is not a great sign for his future career, but he has still accomplished more than most others on this list as well.
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Running back, Lew Nichols.
Nichols (now signed by Steelers) was the only player of the bunch to be drafted, even though it was just in the seventh round. He spent two seasons on the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad, although he has yet to appear in a game. In 2021, he led the MAC conference with 341 carries for 1,848 yards and 18 total touchdowns. If anyone on this last has shown the upside they truly have, it's Nichols, and he seems to be the most likely player to be signed.
What do you think about the players that the Steelers brought in for tryouts? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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