Steelers keeping tabs on XFL players to potentially fill out offseason roster
As the XFL enters its second week of play since the spring league’s return from a 19-year hiatus, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be one of the NFL teams paying attention.
When it comes time to filling out the 90-man offseason roster after the NFL Draft, general manager Kevin Colbert will keep XFL players under consideration for openings.
XFL players are free to sign with NFL teams after the league’s championship game April 26 in Houston.
By Colbert’s calculation, the Steelers have 62 players under contract, not counting those who will become free agents on March 18. The Steelers have five draft picks and are expected to get a sixth in the form of a compensatory draft selection.
That would leave the Steelers 22 players below the offseason roster limit. A few could come aboard in free agency, but the rest likely will be undrafted college and former XFL players.
“The XFL has taken some of the guys we would have signed as futures (contracts),” Colbert said. “We’ll have to do more work on undrafted guys because of that. Traditionally, we sign about 15, but we might have to sign 20-22.”
The Steelers had 74 players under contract last year heading into the draft. They added a handful from the start-up Alliance of American Football, which folded in April, about four weeks before the draft. Of those AAF players, safety Kameron Kelly made the Steelers’ 53-man roster, while several others were added to the practice squad.
Colbert said the Steelers pro scouts have scouted players from the XFL in addition to those from the CFL. The scouts spent four days attending XFL practices and scrimmages.
“We got an initial feel for that group,” Colbert said, “and we’ll continue to monitor those teams throughout the season.”
The Steelers were one of the big winners when the original XFL folded in 2001 after its inaugural season. They signed quarterback Tommy Maddox, the league MVP. Maddox spent five seasons with the Steelers, making 32 starts in 42 appearances with the organization.
Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.
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