Steelers trade for Broncos outside linebacker Malik Reed

Chris Adamski
Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022 12:32 p.m. | Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022 12:32 p.m.

Shown during a preseason game last week, outside linebacker Malik Reed has been traded from the Denver Broncos to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Reed will add depth to the position for the Steelers.

Apparent that they were not satisfied with their depth at outside linebacker, the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired a veteran at the position Tuesday by trading for Malik Reed.

A report from Denver television station KUSA said the Steelers sent a 2023 sixth-round pick to the Denver Broncos and also received a seventh rounder in return.

Reed has started 34 of the 45 games he played over the past three seasons since signing with Denver as an undrafted free agent out of Nevada in 2019. Reed has 15 career sacks, including 13 with three forced fumbles over the past two seasons. Reed had a strip sack of Ben Roethlisberger during a game against the Steelers last season.

Speaking before practice early Tuesday afternoon, Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said he could not confirm the trade but indicated he was aware of Reed’s game.

“It’s important to have depth,” Austin said, “especially at that position (outside linebacker).”

New #Steelers Linebacker Malik Reed strip sacked Ben Roethlisberger last season pic.twitter.com/2U8QL82Fd7

— SteelerNation (@SteeIerNation) August 30, 2022

Within minutes of the news breaking of Reed’s acquisition, the Steelers announced a round of 24 cuts that included outside linebackers Delontae Scott, Hamilcar Rashed, Ron’Dell Carter and James Vaughters. The latter three were all veterans who’d been signed later on in camp, another sign the Steelers were searching for answers at backup to starting edge defenders T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.

Highsmith has missed almost four weeks of practice because of a rib injury, and Watt — the reigning AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year — left Sunday’s preseason finale because of a knee injury. Watt also missed two full games and at least half of three others because of various injuries last season.

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Derrek Tuszka was the only other outside linebacker who survived the Steelers’ cuts. Scott, in particular, is a candidate for the practice squad.

The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Reed has had 123 tackles (74 solo, 15 for loss) and 30 QB hits in his career. He played 81% of the Broncos’ defensive snaps last season. Scheduled for unrestricted free agency after the season, Reed is making $2.43 million under the terms of the restricted free-agent tender signed with Denver in April.

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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.