Steelers Tryouts Colton Dowell
Steelers Tryouts Colton Dowell
The Pittsburgh Steelers worked out three defensive backs on Sunday, per the league’s transactions wire: Jaylon Guilbeau, Eli Ricks, and Dee Williams.
Steelers brought in three DBs for tryouts on Sunday #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/21Q1PKG1gW
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) August 23, 2026
Guilbeau is a 2026 undrafted free agent out of Texas. Signed by the Carolina Panthers in April, he was waived by the team in July and has yet to catch on elsewhere. At his Pro Day, he weighed in at 5111, 187 pounds with a 4.56 40 yard dash and 34.5 inch vertical.
We interviewed him at the NFL Combine where he shared his love of riding horses and being a cowboy.
Ricks is the most experienced name of the trio. Undrafted out of Alabama in 2023, he’s appeared in 23 NFL games as a reserve corner. He’s tallied 21 tackles and three pass breakups. Most of his playing time came as a rookie, but he won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles the following season. Ricks has size at 6’2 but ran a slow 4.60 40 yard dash during the pre-draft process.
Williams appeared in 13 games for the Seattle Seahawks and New York Giants as a rookie. He notched three tackles and played nearly all of his snaps on special teams. He most recently spent time with the Cleveland Browns. Williams was a successful punt returner in college at Texas while flipping between playing wide receiver and defensive back. At his Pro Day, he measured in at 5104, 190 pounds with a 4.56 50 yard dash.
Pittsburgh has dealt with several defensive back injuries in recent weeks. Jalen Ramsey, Joey Porter Jr., and Donte Kent remain on Active/PUP due to their lingering injuries. Brandin Echols and rookie Daylen Everette have missed time with ailments while Jaquan Brisker has also sat out the past two weeks. None played in Pittsburgh’s second preseason game against the New York Jets.
The Steelers opened up a roster spot earlier today by waiving rookie K Laith Marjan. The team could sign a defensive back to fill that vacancy or these names could be kept on speed dial while Pittsburgh adds a kicker for Thursday’s preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills.