Steelers A to Z: Former Division II standout Joey Fisher looks to stick as depth on o-line

Editor’s note: From now until the first practice of training camp at Saint Vincent College, TribLive is running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, looking at each player and assessing his outlook for the 2024 season. The breakdown will run in alphabetical order with at least two players each day between June 14 and July 25. Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.

OL JOEY FISHER

Experience/age: No regular-season experience, 26

Contract status: $795,000 cap hit if he makes the team in 2024

The past: Despite an original verbal commitment to Maryland, Fisher ended up at Division II Shepherd. He became not only an all-PSAC performer but a Division II All American while blocking for future Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent. Fisher (6-foot-4, 296 pounds) was highly-regarded enough coming out of college that he was invited to several all-star showcase games (Hula Bowl, NFLPA Bowl, Senior Bowl) and the NFL’s official website projected him to be drafted in Rounds 4-5 last year.

No one ended up taking Fisher, though, and he signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent. Fisher was among roster cuts at the end of the preseason and ended up signing to the Steelers’ practice squad. He’d spend more than half of the regular season in the organization but was released when the Steelers needed to add inside linebackers in November because of injury. Fisher later spent three late-season weeks on the practice squad of the Cleveland Browns before re-joining the Steelers via a reserve/future deal in January.

Joey Fisher is a veteran mauler on the OL who showcases versatility to play at either tackle or guard position. @SURamsFootball @joeyfisher76 @DraftDiamonds are found at the #HulaBowl pic.twitter.com/3IJuIniavS

— Hula Bowl (@Hula_Bowl) September 17, 2022

2024 outlook: Though Fisher was a right tackle for most of his college career, most projected him as a guard at the NFL level. That’s where the Steelers list him. Despite his small-school pedigree, Fisher tested as well as or better than most of the big-school, high-draft round offensive lineman from his draft class in both the 40 yard-dash and bench-press reps — albeit unofficially because Fisher’s testing was at a pro day and not at the combine.

Many in the draft analyst community expected Fisher to be an NFL contributor — the league’s official site proclaimed he “will eventually be an average starter.” It’s clear the Steelers have an eye for Fisher, signing him twice over a five-month span.

Fisher won’t make the 53-man roster out of camp, but it is not unrealistic to expect him to be part of the practice squad again this season.