Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images Kyle Markway of the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrates after his team’s 20-17 win over the Georgia Bulldogs on October 12, 2019 in Athens, Georgia.
Yesterday the Pittsburgh Steelers brought in free agent tight end Kyle Markway for a workout, this in the wake of an injury suffered by tight end Dax Raymond, who left Tuesday’s practice early with a reported ankle issue.
Today’s workouts/visits.
It’s not clear that the two developments are linked, especially in light of the fact that head coach Mike Tomlin has since advised that Raymond’s injury appears to be a short-term problem.
Kyle Markway’s Career at South Carolina
As for Markway, he went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft, and subsequently signed on with the New York Giants. At 6-4 and 250 pounds, Markway—who hails from St. Louis—is viewed primarily as a blocking tight end and a special teams performer. However, in his last season at South Carolina he collected 31 receptions for 349 yards and two touchdowns.
Even with those numbers his college career totals were decidedly modest, as he totaled just 37 receptions for 459 yards and three touchdowns in 39 games. He also missed extensive playing time due to injury; in 2016 he suffered a foot injury that cost him the entire season; it was a rib injury that sidelined him for almost all of the 2017 campaign.
Markway was waived by the Giants last week to make room for a cornerback.
Following is his Gamecocks highlight reel:
With the audition of Markway, the Steelers have now worked out six different players this week, the next most recent being free agent wide receiver Cody White.
This past Monday the Steelers looked at a safety—a former third-round pick of the Carolina Panthers—as well as a linebacker and two wide receivers.
Markway has the potential to fill a need as a blocking tight end and special teams specialist. The team’s top two tight ends, Eric Ebron and Vance McDonald, are better receivers than blockers.
Kevin Dotson’s Knee Injury is Not Serious
In other news, Mike Tomlin opened Wednesday’s post-practice virtual news conference by telling the media, “No news is good news on the injury front.”
He went on to say: “Kevin Dotson and Dax Raymond appear to be more short term-related injuries. Nothing of any significant long-term concerns.”
As a fourth-round draft pick out of Louisiana, Dotson is hoping to earn a spot on the roster as a backup guard. He watched Wednesday’s practice from the sidelines.
Raymond was signed by the Steelers in mid-July in an effort to bolster the team’s tight end depth.
Meanwhile, both wide receiver James Washington and defensive lineman Chris Wormley returned to practice on Wednesday “in a limited capacity,” as Tomlin put it. Neither practiced on Monday or Tuesday due to “minor ailments.”
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