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When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Daniel McCullers out of the University of Tennessee, there was a great deal of hope for the man nicknamed “the Shade Tree”. The huge defensive lineman was supposed to be a player who could not just eat up blockers, but also collapse the pocket from the interior.
Neither happened, and although the Steelers kept McCullers around throughout his rookie contract, he seldom saw the football field. Nonetheless, reports state the team is going to bring back McCullers for at least the 2018 season as they are giving him a one-year contract.
DT Dan McCullers re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year, per source.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 22, 2018
McCullers, a mammoth rotational nose, had one tackle in five games last year. Team stuck with the sixth-round pick through a four-year rookie deal and will let him continue to develop at their facility.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 22, 2018
There has always been a great deal of potential in McCullers, but it always remained untapped potential. He continually never lived up to expectations, but as the team searches for answers along the defensive line, giving McCullers another chance isn’t the worst thing they could do.
Just like was said when the team gave Fitzgerald Toussaint a one-year contract last week, there is no guarantee he, or McCullers, will make the team. All it does is give them a shot to prove their worth.
Stay tuned to BTSC for the latest moves and transactions surrounding the black-and-gold.