Steelers Rumors: Kenny Pickett hyperbole, trade candidate, surprise cut decision
- Uncertainty about Tanner Muse's place on 53-man roster
- Zach Gentry emerges as possible trade candidate
- Kenny Pickett earns extreme praise
Steelers Rumors: Tanner Muse could be cut from 53-man roster
Tanner Muse has earned rave reviews for his performance in training camp and in preseason action for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 2020 third-round pick spent his first three years with Seattle, making the transition from safety to linebacker in 2022.
He appeared in 17 games last season (one start) and accumulated 16 tackles on 80 snaps. PFF's Zoltan Buday named Muse the Steelers' most impressive backup in their Week 2 win over Buffalo. He has spent the majority of his NFL career on special teams -- he played only seven percent of Seattle's defensive snaps last season -- but Muse could carve out a more robust role in Pittsburgh.
That is, assuming he makes the roster. The majority of fans have been operating with that assumption given his strong performance to date, but it's not etched in stone just yet. "Tanner Muse has probably been good enough to make the squad," writes Alan Saunders of SteelersNow, "but I can’t see a situation where he’s forced to play much."
Saunders projects Muse to miss the 53-man roster and begin next season on the Steelers' practice squad. He would still be a call away if the Steelers suffer injury woes in that scenario, but it's a jolt back to reality for those who get too carried away with preseason results. Sometimes, even the best performances can't overcome unfavorable circumstances.
The Steelers' linebacker corps may simply be too deep for Muse.