The Pittsburgh Steelers will need some help in the slot while Jalen Ramsey’s hamstring heals. Fortunately, they already have an option under contract on the practice squad. Don’t forget about Beanie Bishop Jr., who played 548 defensive snaps in the slot last year. He will likely soon make his 2025 debut.
Ramsey wears many hats for the team, but with Joey Porter Jr. projected to return after the bye, he was going to be playing a lot more slot and safety than he had been while Porter was out. They can partially replace his safety snaps with a player like Jabrill Peppers, but they have limited options in the slot outside of Brandin Echols. And for what it’s worth, Echols also exited early from Week 4 with cramps.
Adding an external player and asking him to play 25 snaps in the slot is a recipe for miscommunications and blown coverages. That’s precisely why Bishop is the best candidate to fill that role.
In 17 games, Bishop had seven passes defensed, four interceptions, two tackles for loss, a half sack, and 45 tackles last year. That’s an impressive performance for almost any player, let alone an undrafted rookie. It’s reasonable to expect him to be better this year. He only missed out on the 53-man roster because of the Ramsey trade and the offseason signing of Echols. Their versatility made Bishop expendable.
The Steelers were fortunate to be able to stash Bishop on the practice squad, and now they will have the option to elevate him for up to three games while Ramsey heals.
Bishop talked up his progress during the offseason, saying the game has “slowed down” for him. He admitted he was “frantic” at times as a rookie. And how could you really blame him for everything the Steelers put on his plate?
If the chip on his shoulder fueled him from being an undrafted free agent, that chip has only grown after failing to make the roster in Year 2.
Plenty of fans were disappointed by Bishop failing to make the 53-man roster, but they might soon get their wish to see him back in action. With Ramsey sidelined and the slot depth thin, Bishop’s call-up feels less like a matter of if and more like when.
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