Behind the Steel Curtain
The Steelers are still making roster moves with days to go until their preseason finale. After a flurry of signings and cuts yesterday, the front office started early Tuesday. Pro Football Network’s James Larsen reported that the team is signing defensive end Kenny Willekes, which was later confirmed by Steelers Now’s Alan Saunders.
The team has yet to announce the signing, or a corresponding roster move to fit Willekes on the roster.
Willekes played college football at Michigan State. He logged 78 total tackles at 10.5 sacks in his final collegiate season, running a 4.87-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine at 6’3, 264 pounds.
He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He didn’t appear in a regular season game until 2021, where he played in six games with no starts, recording 18 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, and seven quarterback hits. He has 202 career defensive snaps with 27 more on special teams.
Willekes spent 2022 on injured reserve with a torn ACL and was later released, landing with the UFL’s Michigan Panthers. He had 20 total tackles and four sacks with the team in 2024.
Per Saunders’ report, Willekes was part of a previously unannounced workout the Steelers hosted yesterday.
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