The Pittsburgh Steelers had veteran Jordan Berry on the team’s 53-man roster, but this was after they had a workout scheduled with former Kansas City Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt. There were questions about whether the Steelers could sign Colquitt, with very little salary cap space, but it seems as if the team found a way.
According to multiple reports, the team has released Jordan Berry and are expected to sign Colquitt.
This per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network:
The #Steelers are releasing punter Jordan Berry, source said.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 7, 2020
That makes room for longtime #Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt, who went to Pittsburgh for a tryout with the anticipation of signing.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the deal between Colquitt and the Steelers will be a one-year contract.
Longtime former Chiefs’ punter Dustin Colquitt is signing a one-year deal with Pittsburgh, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 7, 2020
Colquitt’s father won two Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s.
What might come as a shock to most, by releasing Berry and signing the veteran punter, it is expected the Steelers could save as much as $1 million dollars towards their 2020 salary cap number.
This per Mark Kaboly of The Athletic:
Don't know the terms but it is likely the Steelers will save over $1 million in salary by adding Colquitt and releasing Berry.
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) September 7, 2020
If you are a long-time Steelers fan, the name Colquitt might ring a bell. That is because his father, Craig, played for the Steelers from 1978 to 1984.
Colquitt has played his entire career with the Kansas City Chiefs after being a third round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. Throughout his tenure with the Chiefs, Colquitt earned the following achievements:
- Franchise record for longest punt (81 yards, 2007)
- Franchise record for games played by any position (238)
- Franchise record for seasons played (15, tied)
- Franchise record for punting yards (50,393)
- Franchise record for punts (1,124)
- 3rd most punts downed inside of the 20 in NFL history (462)
After winning a Super Bowl with the Chiefs in 2019, the team released him on April 28, 2020.
Stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news on the Steelers as they prepare to face the New York Giants in Week 1 of the 2020 regular season on Monday Night Football.