The Pittsburgh Steelers have had themselves a busy week of transactions. With the rash of injuries on offense after the Brown’s game, Kevin Colbert has had to scramble to find enough healthy bodies to play next Sunday. Here’s a quick look at the two players Pittsburgh added this week.
Kerrith Whyte:
Kerrith Whyte is a running back selected in the seventh round by the Chicago Bears this past off-season. He was waived in mid September and signed to their practice squad where he has been until this week. Two things stand out immediately about Kerrith Whyte. First off, is his blazing speed. He ran a 4.36/40 yard dash at the Florida Atlantic pro day. Speed is something in short supply for the Steelers offense, making him an interesting addition. Next is Whyte’s return ability. He averaged 28.7 yards per return in college, to go along with two return touchdowns for his career. At the very least, Whyte could see some return duties Sunday versus the Cincinnati Bengals.
Deon Cain:
Yet another player who’s calling card is speed. Deon Cain ran a 4.43/40 yard dash at the 2018 draft combine as a wide receiver. Cain was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2018 draft. His rookie season was cut short by a torn ACL during the pre-season. He made the opening week roster this year before being waived on November 9th, and then was signed to the Colts practice squad. Deon Cain’s college career at Clemson was bumpy to say the least. As a true freshman, he burst onto the scene with 34 receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns. Next came a drug suspension that cost him the entire post-season that year. In all, Cain accumulated over 2,000 yards and 20 toauchdowns in three years at Clemson. At 6’2″, and with that speed, this is certainly an interesting addition to the Steelers wide receivers group. With all the injuries, Deon Cain may see some significant snaps for at least this first game against the Bengals.
The Steelers may have come to the realization that prolonged offensive drives will be hard to come by for the rest of this season. The recent signings suggest the team is looking to add some big play type personnel in order to combat that problem. These two players should get plenty of opportunities to show what they can do this coming Sunday.