Julio Aguilar/Getty Images Jordan Berry of the Pittsburgh Steelers punts the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars on November 18, 2018.
On Saturday the Pittsburgh Steelers signed punter Jordan Berry, bringing him back less than two months after releasing him in favor of former Kansas City Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt. The decision to move on from Colquitt did not come as a shock, as in recent weeks Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has been saying that Colquitt (and the punt team) is ‘not where we want to be.’ But it’s a mild surprise that the team turned to Berry, especially with punter Corliss Waitman on the team’s practice squad and at least one intriguing free agent available.
Jordan Berry’s Steelers Career
Yet Berry should be able to improve upon the numbers posted by Colquitt, who had an average net of 36.0 yards this season, second-worst in the NFL.
Over the course of the five seasons that Berry punted for the Steelers (2015-19), he averaged 44.2 yards per kick with a net average of 39.9, with 131 punts inside the 20 and just 15 touchbacks.
In 2019, he averaged 45.5 yards per punt with a net average of 40.9 and 24 punts inside the 20-yard line.
LB Jayrone Elliott Elevated from Practice Squad
On Saturday the Steelers also elevated linebacker Jayrone Elliott from the practice squad, where he has been all season, “protected” from being poached by another team.
Elliott—a product of the University of Toledo—played in five games for the Steelers in 2019, during which time he was credited with four solo tackles.
He has never started an NFL game but he has played in 44 career contests, including 38 games with the Green Bay Packers and one with the Dallas Cowboys. In the course of his NFL career, he’s been credited with 62 total tackles (53 solo), with nine tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, four interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
RB Trey Edmunds Elevated, Too
Last but not least, on Saturday the Steelers also elevated running back Trey Edmunds from the practice squad, much like they did for the game against the Philadelphia Eagles, when he filled in for injured fullback Derek Watt.
With Watt already ruled out for the Titans game, Edmunds figures to be a part of the game on Sunday, mostly on special teams. But it’s possible he could also see a few snaps as a replacement fullback, as he did play a small role in the team’s offense in 2019. That is, during the 11 games in which he appeared he had 22 carries for 92 yards with six receptions for 48 yards. He also had an interception on a fake punt against the Los Angeles Rams.
Both Elliott and Edmunds will revert back to the practice squad after the Tennessee Titans game without having to pass through waivers.
The Steelers play the Titans at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. It will be the first time Pittsburgh has played in front of fans on the road this season.
The game was originally scheduled to be played on October 4th, but was rescheduled in the wake of a COVID-19 outbreak among Titans players and personnel. The Titans have yet to be formally punished for ‘failure to follow’ COVID-19 protocols.
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