NFL Rumors: Patriots benching Mac, Bears dream offseason, Steelers quiet moves
- Steelers quietly addressing defensive injuries with veteran additions
- Bears already formulating dream plan for the offseason?
- Patriots may be done with Mac Jones
NFL Rumors: Steelers adding veteran S Eric Rowe, LB Myles Jack
Injuries have been less kind to the Pittsburgh Steelers than the Kenny Pickett-Matt Canada combo on the other side of the ball, which is saying a lot.
Linebackers Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander have both landed on IR with season-ending injuries. Meanwhile, star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has now been out for several weeks. And that's not even mentioning a handful of other role players on the defense that are out of action or on IR. Now sitting at 6-4 on the season, the Steelers could use some reinforcements.
It appears they're working on that.
After speculation about the possibility, the Steelers reportedly had former linebacker Myles Jack, who retired after being released by Pittsburgh and signed by the Eagles, in for a physical with plans to sign him. Furthermore, indications were by the state of the locker room that veteran safety Eric Rowe had also been signed to the Steelers practice squad.
Myles Jack is in the building today to take a physical, and if all goes well, sources say the plan is to sign with the #Steelers practice squad. Back from the retirement. https://t.co/bYIhP65GgI
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 20, 2023
Veteran NFL safety Eric Rowe is in the Steelers locker room and has a locker, an apparent add to the practice squad
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) November 20, 2023
Jack spent the 2022 season with the Steelers, appearing in 15 games and recording 104 total tackles. He has never amounted to the player that teams hoped when the Jaguars selected him with a second-round pick out of UCLA in 2016, but he's still been solid and productive, which is what Pittsburgh needs right now.
As for Rowe, he spent the last four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, playing in 14 games last season. Now 31 years old, his skills have diminished slightly. But for the Steelers eyeing rotational depth in the secondary, he should serve that purpose quite well with his experience.
Shoring up the defense with depth additions could be crucial for Pittsburgh down the stretch, though. With the way the offense has performed, they are going to have to continue winning on the back of their D.