Photo courtesy of Carolina Panthers.
The Steelers have signed a veteran defensive back to the practice squad today, to help give some depth to a thin secondary.
Rowe was a 2nd round pick in 2015 out of Utah by the Philadelphia Eagles. After just one season in Philadelphia, he was traded to New England for a conditional 4th round pick in the 2018 draft. Rowe was moved to cornerback but only played in 21 games during his 3 years in New England, missing time with several injuries and trips to the IR.
Rowe signed a 1-year contract as a free agent with Miami in March of 2019 and then re-signed with the Dolphins for 3 years and $16.15 million after performing well in his first season. His time in Miami was his best in the NFL and in 4 seasons he played in 16,16,17 and 14 games and showed when healthy he is a consistent performer in both the run game and coverage skills as a cornerback and a nickelback. He signed with Carolina before the 2023 season but was waived during the last round of cuts and then signed with the Panthers' practice squad.
Rowe is 6’1” 205 lbs. and is a physical player in the secondary, who offers a lot of versatility. He can play safety, cornerback and has excelled as a nickelback later in his career.
With the injuries to Minkah Fitzpatrick and Keanu Neal, the Steelers need depth in the defensive backfield. There is no guarantee that Steeler fans will ever see Rowe, but he is a veteran player with his experience if needed.