The Steelers have inked a new backup tight end, as Ed Bouchette just tweeted that the team has inked free agent TE Leonard Pope.
Steeler fans may remember Pope from Super Bowl XLIII when he caught a one-yard TD pass against the Steelers as a member of the Arizona Cardinals.
Pope was a third round pick out of Georgia in 2006 by the Cardinals. He is a favorite of new Steelers OC Todd Haley, who coached him in Arizona, and also has played with the Chiefs since 2009.
The new Steelers TE is more of a blocking TE, and signing him means that the future for both backup TE’s David Johnson and Weslye Saunders are in doubt.
Johnson is a restricted free agent, but has not yet signed his tender offer from the team. Saunders is suspended for the first four games of the 2012 season for a violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
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Steelfan
April 11, 2012 at 3:54 am
Actually he is not considered a good blocking tight end and is penalty prone given his amount of snaps. Even so, I hope this eliminates Coby Fleener at 24.
George H
April 11, 2012 at 10:21 am
True although Fleener isnt an immediate need, Miller is a FA next season and would be nice to have a replacement.
Steelfan
April 12, 2012 at 4:32 am
Actually Miller is signed through 2014