Steelers WR Canaan Severin receives high praise from Mike Tomlin

It has been quite the odyssey for second year wide receiver Canaan Severin. Last year, the undrafted receiver was injured midway during training camp, and ended up missing an entire season. In May, Severin was waived, then re-signed weeks later, only to be placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to start training camp.

Since he has been activated, Severin has put together a series of strong performances in camp which began during the Steelers “Friday Night lights” practice. With each passing practice, he continues to get better.

As of late, many in the Steelers organization have have taken notice of the 6’2” receiver out of Virginia, and one such person is head coach Mike Tomlin. In his latest interview conducted by Steelers.com writer Teresa Varley, Tomlin spoke highly of Severin’s work ethic and his williness to participate in special teams:

“He is a diligent and detailed worker, he is a guy that is a big body guy and plays that way. He is a willing and able participant in special teams.”

Tomlin further elaborated on the importance of Severin embracing special teams play;

“When you talk about guys that are down the line guys, guys that are trying to carve out a role for themselves, you can’t have those discussions without talking about special teams. He has embraced those elements of play. That is part of the reason we are interested in getting an extended look at him.”

From these quotes, one can assert that Severin is much closer to a roster spot than many may have anticipated. The worst-case scenario for Severin may be a spot on the team’s 10-man practice squad. However, often times, the only opportunities that exists are the ones one is willing to create for themselves. With the amount of depth at the wide receiver position, Severin is trying to carve out his path to a roster spot, in the manner fullback Roosevelt Nix did two years ago.

In these upcoming preseason games, Severin will have the chance to potentially solidify a roster spot through special teams. When people refer to preseason games as totally meaningless, for players like Severin they are invaluable.