:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/19253787/159418480.0.jpg)
The hamstring injury to Shaun Suisham must be worse than I initially thought as the Steelers have brought in K Shayne Graham. Suisham was injured during pre-game warm-ups, though he must have aggravated the injury during the game, though the injury went unnoticed by most fans in spite of the many times he was utilized for extra points and after-score kickoffs.
In response to the injury, the Steelers used one of the three roster spots opened when Larry Foote, Maurkice Pouncey, and LaRod Stephens-Howling were placed on the IR today on Graham and not an extra LB. That leads me to assume Suisham will be out for a few weeks, at least.
Graham is currently the 7th most accurate kicker in NFL history (85.4%), though he recently lost a camp battle in Cleveland, where the Browns ultimately went with Billy Cundiff. This will be the 4th team in the AFC North that Graham has signed with, having spent most of his career in Cincinatti and a year in Baltimore before spending this off season with Cleveland.
Graham spent the 2012 season in Houston before being let go in favor of rookie Randy Bullock, the Texans' 5th round pick. Graham was 31-38 (81.6%) last season with 9 FG's of 50+ yards, though his long was 51.
Graham has been one of the more reliable kickers in the league during his 12 year career, and was 100% on 45 extra points last year, for whatever that's worth. Graham does not have the strongest leg, and that could lead to more kickoff return opportunities for Pittsburgh's special teams. With the struggles for that unit so far during the preseason and first game of the year, might be worth checking in on the leg power of the Zoltan for kickoffs until Suisham can return.
Overall, Pittsburgh signed arguably the best kicker on the market to fill in, so welcome to the team Mr. Graham. We hope you do well, no matter how short your stay in Pittsburgh ends up.
More from Behind the Steel Curtain:
- Steelers sign C/G Fernando Velasco in wake of Maurkice Pouncey injury
- Are we witnessing the Fall of the House of Colbert?
- Steelers running game can't get worse, and that's a good thing
- New Steelers defenders shine despite Week 1 loss to Titans
- 5 things we learned from the Steelers loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 1
- Steelers will re-sign running back Jonathan Dwyer
- Winners and Losers from Steelers loss to Tennessee Titans
- Report: LaRod Stephens-Howling suffered torn ACL in loss to Titans
- Maybe the 2013 Steelers are who many feared they were