Steelers sign 5 defenders to reserve/futures contracts
Pittsburgh adds three defensive backs and two linebackers to their offseason roster.
The Steelers announced five offseason moves today, signing defensive backs Thomas Graham Jr., Kalon Barnes, and Josiah Scott as well as linebackers David Perales and Tyler Murray to their offseason roster.
Every one of the five players was related to the Steelers in the past.
Prior to Week 18, Graham participated in a tryout with Pittsburgh.We wrote the following about him back then:
Cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. attended the University of Oregon for his collegiate career. The Chicago Bears selected the 5’11, 197-pound corner in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. During his two-year tenure, Graham played in 11 games for the Chicago Bears in his debut season and the Cleveland Browns in his following season. During that time, he totaled 19 tackles and four passes defensed. Before being activated in November of 2023, he was placed on the Browns’ injured reserve before the start of the season.
Earlier in the season, Kalon Barnes was a member of the Steelers practice squad.When he tried out for the squad prior to Week 1, here are the things we wrote about him:
Out of Baylor, Barnes was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Barnes racked up 23 total tackles, 5 passes defensed, and 1 interception in his last year of college. With a time of 4.23 seconds in 2022, the 6’0, 186-pound cornerback holds the record for the second-fastest 40-yard sprint in NFL Combine history. Barnes has moved around the league since being drafted, playing for the Vikings most recently and the Dolphins before that.
Additionally, the Steelers signed cornerback Josiah Scott, who was plucked by the Philadelphia Eagles before to Week 7 after spending time on the team’s practice squad and injured list.
In 2023, Scott participated in four Philadelphia games and made two total tackles. In addition, he played for the Eagles in 2021 and 2022, making 29 appearances, totaling 49 tackles, two interceptions, and eight pass deflections. In 2020, he was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round.
Regarding the linebackers, Steelers supporters are familiar with David Perales because he was a backup pass-rusher on the team’s practice squad earlier this season.
