Steelers 2-a-days: Jordan Dangerfield at 7th Steelers camp, WR Amara Darboh gets another shot

Editor’s note: Leading up to a unique Pittsburgh Steelers training camp staged at Heinz Field this year, the Tribune-Review will be running through the team’s 90-man roster, assessing each player’s outlook for the 2020 season. The breakdown will go through the roster, in mostly alphabetical order, two per day, between June 9 and July 23, a day that was originally planned to be reporting day for players to camp. (Contract data courtesy spotrac.com)

S JORDAN DANGERFIELD

Experience: First NFL contract was as undrafted rookie in 2013; 46 games for Steelers since 2016

Contract status: $825,000 cap hit in 2020, unrestricted free agent after season

2020 outlook: Of the 90 men scheduled to report for the start of Steelers training camp next month, only five having been doing so longer than Dangerfield. He’s been at every Steelers camp since 2014. Other than some procedural transactions, he’s effectively been continuously employed by the organization in some capacity for the past 6½ years. That he’s made only three starts on defense in that time and played only six snaps on defense last year doesn’t reflect the respect Dangerfield has among his coaches and teammates.

Bottom line: Dangerfield was second on the Steelers in special-teams snaps played last season. With the departures of Tyler Matakevich, Anthony Chickillo and Roosevelt Nix, Dangerfield is the final remaining member of the core four of special-teamers coach Mike Tomlin often touted. That the other three and Johnny Holton are gone from last year’s team probably helps Dangerfield’s case to make the roster — and perhaps even be a special-teams captain. Finally, next spring, at age 30, Dangerfield could hit unrestricted free agency. Though the Steelers did not tender him a restricted free agent contract in March, they did re-sign him to a minimum-salary deal.

Know something that's highly underrated?

Amara Darboh's @UMichFootball highlight reel. pic.twitter.com/8CCG11JxmN

— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) May 21, 2020

WR AMARA DARBOH

Experience: 16 games for Seattle as 2016 rookie third-round pick; hasn’t played regular-season game since

Contract status: $750,000 cap hit in 2020, potentially eligible for restricted free agency in 2021

2020 outlook: At 6-foot-2, 214 pounds and with a 4.45 time in the 40-yard dash, Darboh is capable of making plays. In college at Michigan, he did — amassing 151 catches for 2,062 yards and 14 touchdowns over his final three seasons. He was signed to the Steelers’ practice squad in November and to their active roster in December (though he was inactive for each of the final two games). Darboh always has had the tools, but it hasn’t translated at the NFL level.

Bottom line: To say Darboh has an uphill climb to make the Steelers’ 53-man roster is an understatement. Four spots are guaranteed, and Ryan Switzer has the team’s trust. Darboh is in a second tier battling with Deon Cain, Saeed Blacknall, Anthony Johnson and even former Pitt star Quadree Henderson for a practice-squad spot or No. 5 WR role.

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