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The Pittsburgh Steelers were preparing for the 2019 season with the following outside linebacker depth:
T.J. Watt *
Bud Dupree *
Ola Adiniyi
Keion Adams +
*Starter
+Practice Squad
That’s it. The only other player who was on the team in 2019, and was set to hit free agency, was Anthony Chickillo.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rappoport, the Steelers and Chickillo have agreed to a new two-year deal worth $8 million dollars.
#Steelers LB Anthony Chickillo is going to sign back with the Steelers on a 2-year deal worth $8M, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2019
Chickillo was a rotational player who helped spell Dupree and Watt, but other than that was more a special teams player than anything else. Chickillo is coming off a season where he registered just 1.5 sacks, and has 7 sacks for his career.
Some might suggest his value comes on special teams, but paying a special teams player $4 million a season seems a bit rich for the cap-strapped Steelers. Nonetheless, the Steelers must see something in Chickillo fans don’t, and Chickillo looks to be back for the next two seasons.
Stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes as the Steelers’ 2019 schedule starts to take shape.