Steelers 2021 sixth-round draft pick Quincy Roche claimed off waivers

The Pittsburgh Steelers made their final roster cuts on Tuesday to get down to the league mandated 53-man roster. There were some cuts which many Steelers’ fans saw coming and others which left them scratching their heads. Regardless, the Steelers went with the players they believed gave them the best chance for success in 2021.

For any player who did not have four accrued NFL seasons, they were placed on waivers and able to be claimed by any NFL franchise who was willing to put them on their 53-man roster. While I’m sure the Steelers had many players who they hoped could get to the practice squad, the first step was clearing waivers before they could be signed.

Unfortunately, one of the players waived by the Steelers on Tuesday has been claimed by another team. The Steelers 2021 sixth-round draft pick Quincy Roche has been claimed by the New York Giants.

So do you have a feeling of déjà vu? The Giants claiming an outside linebacker released by the Steelers prior to Week 1 of the NFL season has happened recently. In 2019, the Pittsburgh Steelers originally kept outside linebacker Tuzar Skipper on their 53-man roster only to release him just prior to their Week 1 matchup. Hoping to stash Skipper on the squad, the Giants made the waiver claim and Skipper was on his way out of town. Fortunately, the Steelers signed Skipper back later in the season after he was demoted to the Giants practice squad.

Getting back to 2021, the fact the Steelers lost Roche to waivers will frustrate many Steelers’ fans. When the 53-man roster was released on Tuesday, many were scratching their heads that Roche saw the ax while the Steelers kept a sixth inside linebacker in Ulysees Gilbert III. While we assumed the Steelers were hoping to sign Roche to the practice squad, nothing definitive had been reported. Either way, losing a player like Roche does sting a little, or even a lot, too many Steelers’ fans. This is the risk a team takes when exposing their players to waivers.

Although the Steelers lost Quincy Roche to the Giants, the good news is there were no other players from the Steelers preseason roster claimed off of waivers. Therefore, all other players who did not make the 53-man roster on Tuesday are eligible to return to the Steelers practice squad which should be announced later today.

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