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A report from Pro Football Talk via Twitter surfaced Thursday, suggesting the Steelers will sign the super-fast Raiders castoff CB DeMarcus Van Dyke in wake of their season-opening game in Denver.
Van Dyke ran a blistering 4.28 40-yard dash at the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine, leading the Raiders to select him in the third round out of Miami in that year's draft. He appeared in 14 games, starting four of them, for the beleaguered Raiders.
It probably proved to be a bit too much for the raw, but supremely athletic cornerback, whose height (6-foot-1) and speed make him a tantalizing project for any good defensive coach.
The move is interesting for the Steelers, considering the "project" kinds of cornerbacks they would typically bring on show more of a run supporting instinct. Van Dyke isn't said to be that kind of a player.
The Steelers have yet to confirm this move, but they did keep only four cornerbacks on the roster. Per the CBA, a newly signed player cannot practice or play with a team for three days after he signs, meaning, if Van Dyke was signed today, he would not play Sunday.