Steelers Bolster Tight End Depth, Claim Michael Palmer Off of Waivers

The Steelers can remain mum about Matt Spaeth’s health for as long as they want, their actions indicated they are concerned. Before Matt Speath was carted off the field injured, the Steelers brought in tight end John Rabe.

• Apparently Rabe’s NFL dream, at least in Pittsburgh, as the team waived in.

The Steelers went to the waiver wire to bolster their tight end depth, claiming Michael Palmer off of waivers from the Seattle Seahawks, as reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.

Palmer entered the NFL in 2010 as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Atlanta Falcons. He played in 14 games in 2010, 16 games in 2011, and 13 games in 2012, starting in six games total. His best year receiving was 2011, when he caught 10 passes for 72 yards.

Michael Palmer’s Upside?

Although he only has 21 catches, but 3 of them are for touchdowns, with one in each of his years in the league. That’s a 21% catch-to-touchdown ratio.

While this statistic is likely little more than a statistical anomaly the Steelers picked up another player labeled “retread” whose numbers told a similar story.

His name is Yancey Thigpen. In 1992 during Bill Cowher’s rookie head coaching season, the Steelers signed Thigpen as a street free agent wide receiver at mid season after San Diego Chargers had cut him in camp.

After two seasons, Thigpen only had 10 NFL catches to his name. But three of them were for touchdowns.

• Two year’s later Thigpen broke John Stallworth’s single season receiving record.

Will Michael Palmer write a similar story with the Steelers?

• The odds are against it.

But as Ramon Foster’s agent advised him when he was an undrafted rookie free agent in 2009, “Pittsburgh is the land of opportunity.”

At tight end in addition to Palmer the Steelers count Heath Miller and David Johnson who are on the PUP list, Matt Spaeth of aggravated a knee injury, David Paulson, Jamie McCoy, Peter Tuitupou and Nathan Overbay whom they also signed today.

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