3 Steelers UDFA signings who will make the 53-man roster
By Mark Powell
Steelers UDFA’s who could make the roster: Jordan Byrd
Jordan Byrd has a decent shot at making the roster for one reason — flexibility. Byrd has experience at running back, wide receiver and most importantly in special teams. Byrd was a return specialist at San Diego State, among other things, and was All-Mountain West in that department the last three seasons. Gunner Olszewski, who may already be on the outs with Pittsburgh, better look out.
The Steelers have a habit of taking shots on undersized and therefore overlooked players. Look no further than Jaylen Warren, who went from undrafted to a core piece of Pittsburgh’s offense backing up Najee Harris. For now, Byrd’s best chance at making the roster would be as return man, where he is already listed as the backup to Olszewski by most unverified depth charts.
Pittsburgh is looking for another explosive return man after Steven Sims left for the Houston Texans in free agency. Byrd, who averaged over 25 yards per return at San Diego State, fits that bill. It was wise of Omar Khan to wait until after the NFL Draft to address this need, as Byrd is just 5-foot-7 and relatively scrawny compared to most running back/wide receiver prospects.
Byrd’s explosiveness sets him apart. It doesn’t mean he’s Darren Sproles, but the Steelers are wise to take a chance on him.