The Pittsburgh Steelers like to tout their history of success with UDFAs—undrafted free agents—though some of that history is ancient. They do have some recent successes, most recently with Beanie Bishop Jr. last year. In 2022, they really hit with RB Jaylen Warren, who has provided quality play for three seasons.
So, which of this year’s UDFAs have the best chance of making the Steelers’ 53-man roster? I would argue that there are two who stand a better chance than the rest, and neither of them is surprising. They are S Sebastian Castro out of Iowa and TE JJ Galbreath from South Dakota.
Sebastian Castro seems to be the top candidate among the Steelers’ UDFAs, even receiving outside attention. While he doesn’t have elite traits, he is just a very solid overall football player with lots of experience. He can play both the run and the pass and could potentially contend for a sub-package role.
With Arthur Smith running the Steelers’ offense, you know any tight end UDFAs they sign might wind up here. But JJ Galbreath isn’t here just because he’s a tight end. He is athletic, adding a bit of a different wrinkle, but of course, he’ll have to show an aptitude for all phases of the job. He will have to impress Arthur Smith and special teams coordinator Danny Smith.
That goes, too, for Castro. Unless they play quarterback or in the trenches, UDFAs almost universally have to earn their keep on special teams. Wide receivers, running backs, tight ends, linebackers, defensive backs, they all play ‘teams. That’s their foot in the door; whatever they earn after that is up to them.
Among the Steelers’ class of UDFAs are two wide receivers, Roc Taylor and Ke’Shawn Williams. Considering they are already six or seven deep there, I wouldn’t put their odds high, but a standout performance always deserves a closer look. With Chris Boswell still possessing both legs, K Ben Sauls will have a rough go of it, too.
But perhaps OG Aiden Williams and FB DJ Thomas-Jones are worth considering, too. Once again, we can go back to Arthur Smith and his style, which calls for a fullback. They didn’t have one last year, but they did look at their options. Fullbacks are typically UDFAs, but they have to play special teams.
As for Aiden Williams, the Steelers didn’t add to their offensive line this offseason. Or at least, almost. They did claim Lecitus Smith off waivers, but that doesn’t move the needle much. They made no unrestricted free agent signings and drafted no offensive linemen. UDFAs at this position also have a positive history with the Steelers, like Ramon Foster or Alejandro Villanueva. But they don’t exactly have Mike Munchak coaching them, either.
If the Steelers keep any UDFAs on the 53-man roster this year, Sebastian Castro and JJ Galbreath are probably your best bets. With S Ryan Watts’ injury-related retirement, there is a door open in the secondary. Likewise, they did not retain TE MyCole Pruitt from last season, so if they keep a fourth tight end, he could be your man. You might want to remember these names as players to watch in training camp and the preseason.