Joe Sargent/Getty Images Justin Layne of the Pittsburgh Steelers makes a tackle on Kalil Pimpleton of the Detroit Lions on August 28, 2022.
Three former Pittsburgh Steelers players were promoted or found a new team on Tuesday, this on the heels of former Steelers defensive lineman Henry Mondeaux getting promoted by the New York Giants on Monday.
Joe Schobert, For One
Most notably, perhaps, is that former Steelers inside linebacker Joe Schobert has been promoted from the Tennessee Titans practice squad to the team’s 53-man roster. Schobert struggled to find a new job after the Steelers released him on March 17, 2022, not long after the team signed Myles Jack to take his place. He went on to get tryouts with the Saints (June) and Broncos (July), the latter of whom inked him to a contract in mid-August. But his stay in Denver lasted little more than a week, nor did the Giants elect to sign him after a workout in September.
Finally, Tennessee signed Schobert to its practice squad during Week 4, and he has since appeared in three games, having been credited with nine tackles and one forced fumble across 47 defensive snaps and 16 special teams snaps.
Rashaad Coward, For Another
Schobert isn’t the only former Steelers to get promoted on Tuesday, as the Arizona Cardinals signed Rashaad Coward off the practice squad two days after he started at left guard against the Rams.
Coward played in four games for the Steelers in 2021; he joined the Falcons in Jan. 2022 after Pittsburgh elected not to re-sign him, but was released by Atlanta in June. He caught on with Arizona in August, where he joined fellow ex-Steelers James Conner and Kelvin Beachum, 33, the latter of whom has served as a starting tackle for Arizona for the past three seasons.
CB Justin Layne Claimed by Bears
Also on Tuesday, the Chicago Bears were awarded former Steelers 3rd-round pick Justin Layne on a waiver claim, having been released by the New York Giants a day earlier. Layne spent the first three years of his career with the Steelers but rarely played on defense and failed to make the team in 2022. He was immediately claimed by the Giants, who utilized him almost exclusively on special teams.
Specifically, he appeared in seven games for New York and was credited with four solo tackles and one pass defensed. But he played just 11 total snaps on defense, along with 91 special teams snaps, as per Pro Football Reference.
Henry Mondeaux Promoted by Giants
Finally, on Monday the New York Giants promoted ex-Steelers defensive lineman Henry Mondeaux from the practice squad to 53-man roster. Mondeaux, 27, has appeared in three games for the Giants, including a starting assignment against the Houston Texans this past Sunday.
Mondeaux appeared in 26 games for the Steelers in 2020-21 but was waived at the end of August and claimed by the Giants on Sept. 1, 2022. He has recorded five tackles for Big Blue, with one tackle for loss.
CB Chris Steele Has Tryout With Bengals
In one other item of note, former USC cornerback Chris Steele had a tryout with the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday, as per Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network.
Steele signed with the Steelers as a rookie undrafted free agent in April 2022 and remained with the team through training camp and the preseason before getting waived on Aug. 30.