Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers released offensive tackle Dylan Cook on Tuesday. Cook was entering his second season with Mike Tomlin’s team.
Cook originally played quarterback as a collegian at Montana State-Northern Lights before heading to Montana as a walk-on. He played 27 games, starting 23, for the Grizzlies and earned fourth-team All-Big Sky honors from Phil Steele as a redshirt senior in 2021.
Cook signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted rookie in 2022. He didn’t make their roster, but was brought back as a member of the practice squad. He signed with the Steelers before the next season, making the team but not appearing in any games.
The fourth-year pro had hoped to earn the Steelers’ swing tackle role, which Calvin Anderson owns behind Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu. Anderson suffered a soft-tissue injury during the Steelers’ Friday Night Lights training camp practice earlier this month, which allowed Cook a chance to show his ability in a larger sense.
Cook spoke about the challenges of playing both offensive tackle positions prior to training camp.
“Just really nailing down the technique of both playing left and right side,” Cook said. “Every team needs a swing tackle. If that’s a spot I can fill this year, I’m more than happy to do it and I’m prepared to do it. … People don’t really think about it but if you spend it on one side too long, the ankle on the other side will get tight, your hip will get tighter, so when you do flip to that other side, the mobility isn’t there, the bend, the strength isn’t there.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Surprisingly Cut Promising Tackle
