Steelers Answer at OLB Could Already Be on the Team
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are stuck with minimal options at outside linebacker behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. After releasing veteran Genard Avery, there's a giant question mark as to who will fill the roll as the third edge rusher for the defense. The answer, however, is starting to make himself known.
Over the last week, Hamilcar Rashed has worked his way into the starting lineup while Highsmith deals with a lingering rib injury. Claimed by the Steelers on Aug. 11, Rashed jumped on a moving training during training camp but adjusted the defense rather quickly.
"It was a learning curve," Rashed said. "I wouldn't say it was super hard to learn. Obviously, there's little details that I still need to fix and get better, but I've played 3-4 before so there's not really a big difference with me."
Rashed came to Pittsburgh after spending the 2021 season with the New York Jets. The undrafted linebacker out of Oregon State played just one game in his NFL career, playing a 4-3 defense with the Jets. Now, moving back to a 3-4 with the Steelers, he's comfortable, and impressing his teammates.
"He's got a good juice to him. Plays the run well," T.J. Watt said. "He actually shares the same outside backer coach in college that I had in college, so we have that similarity. Just being able to translate some things that they called in college that we call here has been nice. He's got a good juice about him. He's got a good pass-rush package as well. I think he can do some good things for us."
There's a strong sense Rashed makes the Steelers' 53-man roster, and plays a rather large role in the defense. It's not how he anticipated his summer would go, but as he said, "that's the NFL for you."
"You never know what happens," Rashed said. "That's why, no matter what happens, you never know where you're going to go, just keep working, keep putting your foot in the ground, put your head down and keep working."
The league's final round of roster cuts will trim teams from 80 to 53 players. Right now, Rashed is battling with Derrek Tuszka, Ron'Dell Carter and Delonte Scott for the depth pieces at outside linebacker. Judging from the latest roles in practice, Rashed holds the upper hand to be one of the final two spots.
"It's been me just sticking to my stuff, sticking to my mindset," Rashed said on impressing the Steelers. "I don't know a lot of people, but if you come in and show the team that you're going to work hard, and you're not going to come in and get lazy, everyone will eventually will go to you and be comfortable around you."
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