The Steelers are adding safety Trenton Thompson to the active roster after his first career start against the Cleveland Browns. Pittsburgh lost Elijah Riley with a high ankle sprain, and Thompson will replace him on the active roster. Thompson started in place of the injured Minkah Fitzpatrick and Keanu Neal.
In his first career start, Thompson played well. He nearly had an interception and racked up six tackles in run support. On four targets, he allowed just two receptions for 13 yards. All in all, it was a quality outing for Thompson, who had not played a snap of football until he suited up to play seven snaps against the Green Bay Packers.
Thompson came onto the Steelers’ radar after several safety injuries, allowing him to get signed and make plays. Thompson nabbed an interception during his first game in the preseason against the Buccaneers. He would make similar plays in practice, earning a boom-or-bust reputation, but he had a nose for the ball. He has been with the team since. Eric Rowe was signed on Monday, and is joined by Jalen Elliott who is also on the team’s practice squad,
The Steelers signed Thompson on August 2nd after those training camp injuries to Neal and Kazee while Fitzpatrick was on personal leave. As a result, Thompson earned second and even some first-team reps once he caught up to speed with the opportunity still around.
Thompson, 25, is a 6-foot-1, 196-pound safety from San Diego State. He joined the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent after the 2022 NFL Draft and played one game as a rookie in 2022.
The Giants initially released Thompson at the outset of training camp and added him to the practice squad, but he was promoted to the active roster on Nov. 23. He played 12 snaps, all on special teams, and then was released back to the practice squad.
He was re-signed to a reserve/future contract for the 2023 season but released on July 25, before the start of training camp. The traits that Pittsburgh knows Thompson best for are his ball skills and hard-hitting capabilities.
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