Steelers Cut Ties With Edmunds, Add McNichols
The Steelers famously were home to four sets of brothers including the Edmunds. Monday’s roster move cut that number down to three.
So wild the @steelers have FOUR sets of brothers on their team ▪️T.J. & Derek Watt ▪️Terrell & Trey Edmunds ▪️Cam & Connor Heyward ▪️Carlos & Khalil Davis pic.twitter.com/FMcPW9IYAF — NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) July 25, 2022
Just a few hours after multiple media outlets made note of the Steelers four sets of brothers on the roster, the team would choose to part ways with an Edmunds brother. After bringing back Terrell Edmunds on a team friendly one year deal, his brother Trey unfortunately would not be as lucky.
Steelers are releasing RB/FB Trey Edmunds today, per source. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 25, 2022
Prior to the move the Steelers were home to the Watt brothers TJ and Derek, Heyward brothers Cam and Connor, Davis brothers Khalil and Carlos, as well as brothers Terrell and Tremaine Edmunds. For more on the Steelers brotherly duos check these articles out: The Steelers Got Genes: A Family Affair / The Heyward’s: Steelers Add Another Set Of Brothers To Their Roster
Farewell Trey Edmunds
While Edmunds did spend some significant time with the Steelers organization, he was mainly a special teams and practice squad player. His career stats while wearing the Black and Gold were pretty much what you’d expect from a guy buried on the depth chart. In 22 career games with the Steelers Trey Edmunds carried the ball 22 times for a total of 92 yards. He also caught six passes for 48 yards to go with that.
This move has allowed the Steelers to pursue a running back more capable of filling the second spot on the depth chart. The Steelers have been lacking depth at the position for quite some time and neglected to do much of anything about it up until Tuesday. While the addition that they made isn’t a lock for the second running back spot, he is a much better fit for what the Steelers offense will be looking to do this season.
Welcome Jeremy McNichols
We have signed RB Jeremy McNichols to a one-year contract. To make room on the 90-man roster, we released RB Trey Edmunds. @BordasLaw 📝: https://t.co/LcuyJOvtl6 pic.twitter.com/oRfwzO2efY — Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) July 26, 2022
The former Boise State Bronco is entering his sixth season in the NFL having seen an increase in playing time and carries over the last two years. McNichols spent the last two seasons backing up Derrick Henry as a member of the Tennessee Titans, and saw steady action once Henry suffered an injury midway through the year. In 2021, the veteran running back ran the ball 41 times for 156 yards. He also hauled in a respectable 28 passes out of the backfield for 240 yards and one touchdown.
The Pittsburgh Steelers open up training camp Tuesday the 26th and have a multitude of position battles that will take place over the course of the next several weeks. One of those being at the running back position. McNichols pass catching abilities make him a natural fit in Matt Canada’s quick passing offense, and could potentially give him a leg up on current RB2 Benny Snell.
The former fifth round pick hasn’t necessarily proved himself to be a consistent number two back. However, he has managed to stay relatively healthy as his work load has increased. Early on in his career McNichols had trouble staying healthy throughout the course of the season.
While the signing of Jeremy McNichols isn’t ground breaking, it is much needed. In 2022, the Pittsburgh Steelers will require more out of their back up running backs than ever to keep Najee Harris healthy. If the newly acquired McNichols can put it all together in his sixth season, he can potentially fill a hole in the Steeler’s offense that has existed for quite some time.
Check out my article from June here for more on Pittsburgh’s running back depth struggles.
Happy training camp report day everyone. Don’t forget to check back with us daily as we’ll be detailing camps biggest stories and much more. We’re almost there ladies and gentlemen!
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