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The Pittsburgh Steelers signed two players who will vie to catch the eye of the coaching staff in their try to continue their career in the NFL. The two players are safety Daimion Stafford and long snapper Kameron Canaday. Punter A.J. Hughes was waived in a corresponding move.
The Tennessee Titans special teams co-captain in 2016, special teams is where Stafford will need to make his mark in 2017 if he expects to latch on with Pittsburgh. A 2013 seventh-rounder out of Nebraska, Stafford has starting experience with six starts in 2016 and two more in 2015. He recorded one INT, one fumble recovery, one sack and 51 total tackles last season. Besides his special team value, he is serviceable at run defense, but coverage is his main liability. Stafford will compete with Jordan Dangerfield, Robert Golden, Jacob Hagen and Terrish Webb for roster spots. The past two seasons the Black and Gold have carried five safeties at the start of the season. This could be a must see camp battle.
Canaday had a brief stint on the Steelers roster earlier in 2017 when he was signed in February. Cut after the NFL draft when Pittsburgh drafted Colin Holba, Canaday's signing is viewed as insurance for Holba and to push the sixth round rookie. Holba looks to take over for long time long snapper, Greg Warren. The starting long snapper for the Arizona Cardinals for the first three games in 2016, Canaday took the blame for a low snap that led to a missed game winning FG with under a minute to play in the fourth quarter in the opener against New England. Another errant snap against the Buffalo Bills which resulted in a TD led to his release. The second year Portland St. player will be viewed as a camp body as the Steelers had only one LS on the roster.
With the release of Hughes, punter Jordan Berry has no competition. For a middle of the road punter in 2016, it would be surprising to see this situation stay the same throughout the summer and into camp.
Can either player make it to final cuts?