More seasoned Taco Charlton willing to fill any role for Steelers

His birth name is Vidauntae, but he goes by “Taco” Charlton.

Either, at this point, is better than what has seemingly become a permanent additional forename: “former first-round pick.”

Or worse, “bust.”

The newest member of the Pittsburgh Steelers 53-man roster insists his career story isn’t complete enough yet to label him the latter. And he has just about outlived the former, too.

“I don’t really think that when I go out here,” Charlton said from the practice field Friday, “that I was a first-round pick. I just go out here thinking I can just play good football.

“That (draft) was so long ago — five years now — that I don’t really think about it as much. I just believe in my game. I still feel like I can play great football, and I’ve got a lot of good football ahead of me.”

Charlton is getting an opportunity to show that after the Tuesday trade of Melvin Ingram III to the Kansas City Chiefs. Coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged that even if Ingram was unhappy with his role that the Steelers wouldn’t have felt comfortable dealing him if they didn’t believe Charlton was capable of stepping in as the team’s No. 3 outside linebacker.

Taco Charlton is in, and Melvin Ingram III is out after the #Steelers reconfigured their outside linebacker rotation behind starters T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. https://t.co/4Funt32kmW

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) November 3, 2021

In his Steelers debut as a practice-squad call-up Sunday in Cleveland, Charlton made an impression while playing only 10 snaps in the Steelers’ 15-10 win against the Browns. Though he registered no official statistics, Charlton at least once got a hand on Baker Mayfield during five pass-rushing snaps.

More prominently, Charlton was involved in a crucial fourth-quarter forced fumble that was credited to Joe Schobert but that perhaps could have been most influenced by Charlton.

Taco Charlton was in the vicinity when the Steelers forced Jarvis Landry’s fumble in the fourth quarter Sunday. Joe Schobert got credit for the force, but did he deserve some too? His answer: pic.twitter.com/7tSoXb1nan

— Joe Rutter (@tribjoerutter) November 5, 2021

The brief audition Sunday was Charlton’s first NFL regular-season action in 51 weeks. On Nov. 8, 2020, the day after his 26th birthday, Charlton suffered a broken ankle in what would end up being his final game with the Kansas City Chiefs.

After the Chiefs cut him during training camp in August, the Steelers added him to their practice squad a month later. It was Charlton’s fourth NFL team since he was taken 28th overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2017 draft.

Heading into that draft, Charlton was taken out to dinner by Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. The Steelers ended up taking T.J. Watt two picks later. Now, Charlton’s job is to give Watt and Alex Highsmith some rest.

“It can’t be that much of a letdown when we have somebody come in and play for those two guys,” defensive coordinator Keith Butler said.

At 6-foot-6, 270 pounds and blessed with high-pedigree athleticism, Charlton is a natural to be able to fill that No. 3 OLB role. But so was Ingram, who ultimately believed he deserved better. Charlton once had a similar reaction during his time in Dallas, posting a message on social medial that read, “Free me.”

Whether being cut three times since humbled him or if Charlton has matured as he approaches his 27th birthday Monday, he sounds like a man willing to accept any role.

“It’s a fresh start for me,” Charlton said. “New defense, new coach, new place, so I like it a lot. I like how everybody has embraced me since I’ve been here. I am getting more comfortable with the defense each and every week. Coming from a 4-3 defense, it’s getting familiar with a lot of different coverage aspects of things, but besides that, things have been real great.”

Charlton said the six weeks he has been with the Steelers have allowed him to assimilate well into the scheme and to playing 3-4 linebacker instead of 4-3 end.

“He’s only going to continue to get better from here on out,” Steelers defensive captain Cameron Heyward said.

Said Charlton: “Anything I can do, whether it’s make more plays, play different positions, whatever it is, I am just excited to whatever is possible to help the team win.”

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