Steelers 2-a-days: OT Jarrid William a late signing, Rodney Williams lost amid talented TE room

Editor’s note: From the end of minicamp through the day the team reports to training camp at Saint Vincent College, the Trib will be running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, assessing each player’s outlook for the 2023 season. The breakdown will go through the roster in mostly-alphabetical order, (at least) two per day, between June 16 and July 26. Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.

OT JARRID WILLIAMS

Experience: Spent time on practice squads as a rookie last season

Contract status: $750,000 cap hit if he makes the team in 2023

2023 outlook: Williams is among the most recent additions to the roster, signed June 6 after getting released by the Philadelphia Eagles in May. Like a host of others on the Steelers camp roster, Williams has previous ties to former Eagles vice president of player personnel Andy Weidl, who now serves as Steelers assistant general manager.

The 6-foot-6, 308-pound Williams initially signed with Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent last year. He was cut and re-signed three times before spending the final two weeks of the regular season on the Detroit Lions’ practice squad. The Eagles re-signed him to a reserve/future deal in January but cut him for a fourth time in a 10-month span in the spring.

Williams played in college at Houston and Miami, starting 38 college games overall, including 20 in 2020 and 2021 for the Hurricanes. The pre-draft analysis noted Williams’ arms measured at 35 7/8 inches, considered elite length. He joins a group of 14 other linemen in camp, likely starting practices with the third teamers and fighting for a spot on the practice squad to open the season.

The train keeps rolling for the Skyhawks as the team has scored 24 straight points, courtesy of this 51-yard touchdown connection from Keon Howard to Rodney Williams II. #MartinMade pic.twitter.com/3IwGV4pemW

— UT Martin Athletics (@UTMSports) October 23, 2021

TE RODNEY WILLIAMS

Experience: Spent his rookie 2022 season on Steelers’ practice squad

Contract status: $750,000 cap hit if he makes the team in 2023

2023 outlook: Williams has been with the Steelers for more than 10 months, sticking with the organization on the practice squad throughout all of last season and immediately signing a reserve/future deal when the season ended. If nothing else, that shows the coaches and team officials on some level like what they see out of the 6-foot-4, 235-pound former second-team FCS All-America at Tennessee-Martin.

Williams played six seasons in college — all at the same school — beginning his trek as a wide receiver and special-teamer in 2016. He did not move to tight end until the 2020 season (played in the spring of 2021), when over seven games he had 30 receptions for 327 yards and four touchdowns. The Denver Broncos initially signed Williams as an undrafted free agent last year, but they cut him at the end of their training camp.

Williams’ problem is a numbers game at tight end, where the Steelers already seem to have too many capable players. Pat Freiermuth is the longterm No. 1, Zach Gentry has evolved into a strong-blocking complement, Connor Heyward showed promise and reliability as a rookie last year and third-round pick Darnell Washington is an exciting prospect. It will be difficult enough to find roles for those four; Williams carving his own niche seems almost impossible.

But the coaches seem to like Williams, so perhaps in case of injury or some other unforeseen circumstance in the tight ends room he will be given an opportunity on some level.

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