Following rookie minicamp, the Steelers waive OT Kellen Diesch.
Is there a plan to do another transaction?
Only a day before rookie minicamp ends, the Pittsburgh Steelers made another space on their 90-man roster when they cut offensive tackle Kellen Deisch, the team said on Monday. Seven offensive tackles remain on the roster, including Troy Fautanu and Broderick Jones, first-round picks in 2023 and 2024.
Prior to the 2023 season, Deisch was first signed to the Steelers practice squad. Towards the end of the 2024 summer, he signed a reserve/future contract. Diesch had previously been a member of the practice squads of the Chicago Bears during the 2023 season and the Miami Dolphins during the 2022 offseason before joining the Steelers.
Even though Diesch hasn’t made an NFL start yet, he could wind up on another team in a depth role given his enormous height of 6’7 1/8″ and superior athleticism for the position. MockDraftable reports that Diesch tested in the 85th percentile (or higher) in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, and 20-yard shuttle coming out of Arizona State. According to PFF, Diesch participated in all three of the Steelers’ preseason games in 2023 despite giving up three pressures overall in 50 pass-blocking opportunities.
Although it’s unclear why the Steelers released the player, it seems likely that they did so to make room for a rookie minicamp star. Following a three-day tryout, the organization previously signed veteran cornerback Anthony Averett to a contract. Following Deisch’s release, there are currently 88 players on the Steelers’ 90-man roster, per the roster details posted on their website. Out of the 88 players, 14 are newcomers.
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