ClutchPoints
After dropping their record to 1-1 after an ugly loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the inaugural DK Metcalf Bowl, the Pittsburgh Steelers will have a little extra ammunition heading into Week 3, when they take the show to Foxboro for an early-season 43 showdown with the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
That’s right, after making multiple moves to adjust their roster heading into a class East Coast showdown, releasing wide receiver Rakim Jarrett and tight end JJ Galbreath from their practice squad, the Steelers have signed long-time Patriots linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley to their practice squad, according to ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
“Former Patriots LB Ja’Whaun Bentley, who spent seven seasons in New England, is signing with the Steelers practice squad, per source,” Schefter wrote on social media. “Bentley now joins former Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers in Pittsburgh.”
Now, as Schefted noted, Bentley isn’t the only recently departed member of the Patriots to sign up with Pittsburgh, as his long-time defensive compadre Jabrill Peppers officially inked a one-year deal with the team on September 10 and logged seven special team snaps in his debut.
Will Bentley end up playing a similar role for the Steelers in Week 3, should he be activated off the practice squad? More likely than not yes, as learning either linebacker spot in Teryl Austin’s defense almost certainly takes more than a few days to master. But considering Bentley has appeared in 83 games with 68 starts, plus two more in the postseason, it’s clear Pittsburgh just added a veteran ‘backer with an ability to contribute should Patrick Queen or Payton Wilson miss time in the future.
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