The hours following the final preseason are, without question, nervous times for fringe NFL players. Nearly all of them will get a call informing them that their services are no longer wanted by the organization they’ve been with for, at least, several months.
But others do not get a call, and the silence is the best news possible.
It means that another call, likely one from the player’s agent, is on the way, letting them know that the team wants them to say in some capacity.
That is the case for several Steelers players who went through practice Monday, two days after Pittsburgh trimmed its roster from 91 players to the mandated 53, as well as a ten player practice squad.
“You just try not to think about it too much,” said rookie Ulysees Gilbert, a sixth-round pick of the Steelers in this year’s draft. “I kind of kept myself busy, hung out with some friends, talking to family. I just did the stuff I love to do, go to the movies, chill around, relaxed.
“I talked my agent here and there but, it was kind of crazy because on of the agents in my agency knew since 11 a.m. and he didn’t tell my agent. So I was out, not knowing, but they knew the whole time.”
Gilbert impressed enough, particularly on special teams, to warrant the Steelers not only keep him, but keep five inside linebackers. It speaks to the impression he was able to make.
Others were able to do the same.
“During the preseason games, (especially) the second one, I was like ‘oh wow, I can actually play in the NFL,’” said outside linebacker Tuzar Skipper, an undrafted free agent out of Toledo. ‘I was nervous. I’m sitting here like’ wow, I’m about to play with some NFL guys.’ Coming from college, I didn’t really know what to really expect. But, after that second preseason, I was like ‘yeah, I think I can do this.’”
And Skipper can. He led the Steelers in preseason sacks with five, forcing two fumbles.
“It’s something you dream about since you’re young,” he added. “In middle school I was like ‘I’m going to play in the NFL.’ In high school I was like ‘I’m going to play in the NFL,’ not really know that it’s going to happen. But now it’s happening and it’s a dream come true.”
Skipper and Gilbert were not necessarily locks to make the roster, but certainly had more of a chance than Pine-Richland grad Kevin Rader, a tight end who has battled for third tight end spot on the 53-man roster since the spring, only to be cut Saturday. However, he was shortly thereafter added to the practice squad after clearing waivers.
“Obviously, it’s not the outcome that I wanted but, in the long run, I’m still her win the organization and it’s time for me to keep working, keep grinding, improving,” Rader said. “You never know when you’re going to get bumped up and get your shot.”
Rader is in his second year in the NFL and went through a similar heart-wrenching weekend last year with the Packers.
“I knew what to expect,” he said. “I knew that you didn’t want the call. I was more calm about it. I felt good about my performance in the preseason, so I felt pretty confident going into it. But, at that point, it’s out of your hands.”
The cold reality is that these stories or the good ones, but many more players today are scrambling to find their next opportunity. That may be with another NFL team, like wide receiver Diontae Spencer got with Denver’s 53-man roster this weekend. Others will try to latch on with a practice squad, the CFL or the newly-formed XFL. Some will give it up all together.
The first practice after cuts is a weird scene, with over a third of the roster so suddenly missing.
“It feels different, I’m not going to lie,” Gilbert said. “It feels different to see a lot of people gone. You play with guys for two months in OTAs, minicamp and all of (training) camp. It’s different but it’s part of the process, part of the game. I’m just happy that I’m here.”