The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to add to their 2016 off season roster by signing a wide receiver and a quarterback to futures contracts. The latest development saw the Steelers sign Levi Norwood, who is nominally a wide receiver but the Steelers are likely eyeing him as a kick returner.
Levi Norwood played his college ball at Baylor, where he appeared in 49 games and caught 128 passes for 1626 yards for 11 touchdowns. Norwood returned 64 punts for the Baylor Bears for 559 total yards and an average of 8.7 yards per return and scored two touchdowns. He also 38 kickoffs for 768 yards.
Thanks to the magic of YouTube, every NCAA football player seems to have his own highlights collage on the internet, and here is a shot of Levi Norwood returning a punt against SMU from 2014
The Chicago Bears signed Levi Norwood as an undrafted rookie free agent, but he did not make either the regular season roster or the practice squad. The Steelers will undoubtedly look to pick someone in the 2016 NFL Draft that can return kicks. But the Steelers need someone to relieve Antonio Brown of his punt return duties. Dri Archer clearly wasn’t that person, nor was Markus Wheaton.
Vaughan to Provide 4th Arm at Training Camp
One of the areas that could see the most turnover during the Steelers 2016 off season is the quarterback depth chart. Ben Roethlisberger is of course going no where, but at this date no one on the depth chart below him should even consider an invitation to Saint Vincents safe.
Bruce Gradkowski spent the entire year on IR, and whisperings have it that he may not be wanted back. Landry Jones did not look good in the playoffs, and Mike Tomlin declined to give him a vote of confidence. Michael Vick appears to have thrown his last NFL pass.
The Steelers signed Dustin Vaughan a quarterback who played for Divison II’s West Texas A&M. Vaughan spent the 2014 season with the Dallas Cowboys, but saw no action. The Buffalo Bills took him to training camp in 2015, where Vaughan 35-67-343-0-2 in four preseason games.
- Dustin Vaughan He did not make Buffalo’s final regular season roster, but did spend some time on their practice squad.
During the 1990’s a 4th or 5th quarterback who went to training camp with the Steelers had legitimate hopes of making the team. Bill Cowher and Tom Donahoe gave roster spots to Mike Quinn in 1997 and Anthony Wright in 1999.
- Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin both believe in a 3 quarterback system, but have played it more by the book.
The Steelers are likely looking at Vaughan as nothing more than a 4th arm for OTA’s, mini camp, training camp – if he makes it that far – but he will get his shot to impress.
