Houston native loses another free agent to the Pittsburgh Steelers as he decides to go home
Rob Carr and Getty ImagesOn January 1, 2023, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
With the signing of former Steelers wide receiver and kick returner Steven Sims on Friday, March 24, Pittsburgh now has just five receivers on its roster for the offseason. Sims’ exit was not entirely unexpected because Omar Khan & Co. decided not to offer him a restricted free agent deal, thus allowing the 25-year-old native of Houston to become an unrestricted free agency.
Bob Pompeani of KDKA-TV tweeted, “I don’t know why the #Steelers didn’t want to bring Steven Sims back,” one of the numerous onlookers who expressed astonishment that the team hadn’t done more to keep the fourth-year veteran. He was a valuable wide receiver and performed well on special teams.
Indeed, after former Patriots All-Pro Gunner Olszewski fumbled away the kick return assignment, Sims stepped in and had a significant impact last season. After the Steelers traded Chase Claypool to the Bears in exchange for a second-round pick, he also saw action as a slot receiver. Actually, Sims played in 284 offensive snaps last year and caught 14 receptions for 104 yards; but, he did not play during the opening month of the season.
Calling his departure from Pittsburgh “bittersweet,” Steven Sims
Sims said goodbye to Pittsburgh on Instagram after the Texans announced his signing. He wrote:
Steelers Country, It’s a bittersweet moment right now. Firstly, I would want to express my gratitude to the Steelers for giving me the chance to be a part of such a fantastic company. I’m grateful to have made so many lifelong friends and memories throughout my incredible time here.I am grateful for your support and have nothing but love to give to all of my fans. But thank you everybody, the moment has come for me to go back home!
There are just five wide receivers on the Steelers roster going forward, including Olszewski, who signed a two-year contract in 2022 and is about to enter his second season. Thus, George Pickens, a 2022 second-round selection, and Diontae Johnson are the starting wide receivers, with Calvin Austin, a 2022 fourth-round selection, leading the race for the slot receiver position. Anthony Miller, a former second-round pick of the Bears, is also a member of the Steelers, having returned on a one-year reserve/futures contract.
Corliss Waitman, a former Steelers punter, rejoins the Patriots
In other free agency news, the Broncos withdrew their tender to the exclusive rights free agent just one day after the New England Patriots signed former Steelers punter Corliss Waitman.
In December 2021, Waitman was signed off of New England’s practice squad by the Pittsburgh Steelers, meaning the Patriots lost to them. Before the Steelers dismissed him to create space on the roster for wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, he went on to play in two games for Pittsburgh. The Broncos then claimed him, and in 2022 he was hired by Denver to punt.
Trent Scott, an offensive tackle, signs with the Washington
On March 23, 2023, the Washington Commanders signed offensive tackle Trent Scott, an unrestricted free agent, from the Steelers. Scott, 29, signed a one-year contract in May 2022 and played in eight games (one start) for Pittsburgh.
Quickly after, the team signed Le’Raven Clark, an offensive lineman selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of the 2016 draft, to take his place.
Another offensive lineman could soon be lost by the Steelers to free agency. J.C. Hassenauer, a backup center/guard, visited the New York Giants earlier this week. Between 2020 and 22 Hassenauer played in 45 games for the Steelers, making seven starts.
