For the second consecutive year the week before Thanksgiving, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed veteran safety Eric Rowe to their practice squad.
Rowe’s addition Tuesday came 365 days after he was signed off the street to provide depth to the Steelers secondary.
Last year, Rowe ended up starting the final three games of the regular season and the Steelers’ postseason loss in Buffalo, becoming virtually an everydown piece of the defense. Rowe played at free safety, strong safety and slot/nickel.
But he went all through this year unsigned. Now 32 years old and a veteran of 103 games over nine NFL seasons, Rowe provides a versatile piece of depth to the secondary.
“He did a great job for us last year,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “We think he’s really a quality football player. We’ll bring him in for depth. If something happens, we know he’s a guy that — if we need to — bring him up and he’ll be really successful in the role that we need him to be. And he’s also a quality, quality human being.”
A second-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015, Rowe has started games for four NFL teams. In four games last season for the Steelers, including the playoffs, Rowe had an interception, three passes defended and 37 tackles (28 solo, 1 for loss).
The Steelers regularly deploy three safeties and five cornerbacks at various points during recent games — and that doesn’t count defensive back Cory Trice, who is on the verge of being activated off injured reserve.
