The Pittsburgh Steelers re-signed undrafted rookie linebacker Julius Welschof to the practice squad on November 26, according to Steelers.com reporter Teresa Varley, and they utilized a slight NFL loophole to do so.
Just after the move, The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo reminded that “Welschof was in camp with the Steelers before sustaining a knee injury in the preseason finale. He qualifies for the International Player Pathway, which means the OLB doesn’t count against the practice squad total.”
In other words, Pittsburgh won’t have to release anyone in order to bring Welschof back into the mix. It’s a no-risk practice squad flyer on a prospect that general manager Omar Khan and head Mike Tomlin liked enough to sign in the first place.
“Welschof was signed originally signed by the team as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 NFL Draft,” Varley detailed in her article. “He started at defensive end for Charlotte but had his 2023 season cut short due to injury, playing in four games. He began his career at Michigan where he played in 35 games. In 2022 he played in all 14 games.”
Welschof is from Miesbach, Bavaria, Germany. This qualifies him for the International Player Pathway program that DeFabo mentioned.
Steelers Continue to Strengthen OLB Depth With Julius Welschof Signing
With outside linebacker Alex Highsmith (ankle) battling another injury, the Steelers have continuously bolstered their edge rusher depth throughout the year. First, they attempted to re-sign Markus Golden this summer, but he chose to retire after briefly rejoining the organization.
Later, Pittsburgh traded for Preston Smith, not to mention they’ve seesawed prospects like Ade Ogundeji and Welschof on and off the practice squad.
Fortunately — even with Highsmith ailing — the Steelers have sturdied this position in recent weeks. Nick Herbig has returned across from superstar T.J. Watt, spelling Highsmith. Then Smith has slotted into Herbig’s old role for depth.
Pittsburgh also has OLB/special teamer Jeremiah Moon on the active roster if they need him.
Steelers Keep Preston Smith at Relatively Consistent Snap Count vs. Browns
Smith has now appeared in three games with the Steelers, and he’s settled into a fairly consistent role. Against the Cleveland Browns in Week 12, the veteran trade acquisition logged 17 defensive snaps and was credited with 1 quarterback pressure according to Pro Football Focus.
Smith also contributed 3 tackles and 1 key defensive stop versus the Browns, per PFF, but on the flip side, he was charged with 1 missed tackle.
In his three games since joining the organization, Smith has now played defensive snap counts of 23, 17 and 17 again. With Herbig performing well, Smith’s usage should dip a bit once Highsmith is back, but he’s likely done enough to carve out some sort of active role down the stretch.
Steelers’ Nick Herbig Leads the Way With Elite Defensive Grade vs. Browns
For anyone who watched the game on Thursday night, it’s no stretch to say that Herbig was the Steelers’ most impactful defender in Cleveland. PFF agreed, awarding him an elite 93.1 grade out of 100.
As a pass rusher specifically, Herbig earned a 94.6 out of 100. He was credited with 4 quarterback pressures, including the strip sack forced fumble on Browns quarterback Jameis Winston.
Herbig also contributed as a run defender according to PFF, with 4 key defensive stops and 3 tackles. His lone blemish came in the tackling department, as Herbig was charged with 2 missed tackles.
Having said that, it was a stellar outing overall for a developing draft pick who has done nothing but continue to push for more playing time.
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