Steelers reunite with former second-round pass-rusher

Just one day after the Steelers witnessed a pair of injuries to outside linebackers David Perales (knee) and Kyron Johnson (hamstring) in training camp, they decided to bring back a familiar face.

On Thursday, Pittsburgh announced that it is reuniting with outside linebacker Markus Golden, who spent the 2023 season with the team, on a one-year deal. To make room for him on the 90-man roster, it waived Perales, who exited Wednesday's practice.

It's one of the least surprising moves the Steelers have made this offseason as they had a clear void at their No. 4 edge-rusher spot and Golden provided great depth last season.

Golden, 33, registered 20 tackles (six for a loss), four sacks, one fumble recovery and one pass defensed in 16 games as Pittsburgh's No. 3 edge rusher behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith in 2023.

He's unlikely to play the exact same role this season with emerging second-year outside linebacker Nick Herbig looking to take his game to another level.

"Herbig is an example of our expectations for year-two guys. He showed some flashes a year ago," head coach Mike Tomlin said. "We're just in him developing all components of his game."

However, Golden will likely still have an impact as a rotational pass rusher.

The 6-foot-3, 260-pound linebacker must still earn his spot on the Steelers' 53-man roster, but he has a good chance to do just that over the next two weeks of training camp as well as their three preseason games.

Golden was selected in the second round (No. 58) of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, just two picks after Pittsburgh selected cornerback Senquez Golson. He has 343 tackles, 51 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, one interception and eight passes defensed in his nine-year NFL career.

All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.