Seventh-round rookie running back Eli Heidenreich surprisingly made the Pittsburgh Steelers roster this week. But according to one team insider, there was an obvious reason for that decision.
If the Steelers didn’t keep Heidenreich, another team was going to pluck him off waivers.
That’s what Steelers insider Mark Kaboly wrote and said in the aftermath of Sunday’s roster cuts. First, Kaboly strongly suggested that in an article Sunday night.
“Heidenreich isn’t a sentimental addition to the roster because of him growing up in nearby Mt. Lebanon,” wrote Kaboly. His versatility and youth (and maybe another team snooping around to add him to their 53-man roster) got him a spot over Travis Homer and Lew Nichols. Homer might be a tad better special teamer, but Heidenreich has more upside and can play two positions.
“Nichols is just a tad beneath everything that Heidenreich is, and Nichols can surely be on the practice squad.”
Kaboly again emphasized during his podcast Monday that another team was doing its homework on the Navy running back.
“There was some snooping around going on,” said Kaboly to his co-host Chris Mack, via Steelers Depot’s Ross McCorkle.
Heidenreich will open the regular season as Pittsburgh’s RB3. He will be behind Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle on the running back depth chart.
Although notably, the Steelers have Heidenreich listed as a RB/WR on their official roster.
Steelers Stopped RB Eli Heidenreich From Landing With Another Team?
Kaboly wasn’t specific about which team was “snooping” around Heidenreich and ultimately the Steelers running back room. It’s also not easy to guess.
The day after the NFL’s roster cut deadline with the initial round of waiver wire additions, only one running back went claimed. That was Emari Demercado with the Dallas Cowboys.
Were the Cowboys the team “snooping” around Heidenreich? It’s certainly possible. But another team that went in a different direction on the waiver wire is also possible too.
From the Steelers perspective, it really doesn’t matter. They identified Heidenreich as a player they wanted in their organization. NFL teams don’t let those kinds of rookies slip away.
Mike McCarthy Stresses Heidenreich ‘Earned’ His Roster Spot
The very first question head coach Mike McCarthy received while speaking to the media Tuesday was about the rookie running back.
Asked to explain why Heidenreich made the roster, McCarthy gave a rather simple answer.
“Everybody has earned their opportunity here. So, I mean, there’s always some things that go into how those positions are formulated, and Eli did enough to make the team.”
A lot of analysts predicted Travis Homer would make Pittsburgh’s roster instead of Heidenreich. Veteran Lew Nichols was also in the mix after another strong preseason.
The Steelers managed to bring back both Homer and Nichols on their practice squad. Each runner will be available to be elevated to the active roster from the practice squad during the regular season.
Meanwhile, Heidenreich can provide depth at running back, receiver and returner on the active roster.
Steelers Stopped Eli Heidenreich Theft on Roster Cutdown Day: Report