On Thursday, the Los Angeles Chargers waived former first-round defensive tackle Jerry Tillery. Because the release was after the trade deadline, Tillery is subject to waivers and the Pittsburgh Steelers should absolutely be a team putting in a waiver claim.
The Chargers selected Tillery with the No. 28 overall pick in 2019 out of Notre Dame. Over the course of his three and half NFL seasons, Tillery hasn’t lived up to expectations but in the Steelers scheme, he has a place. Steelers defensive line coach Karl Dunbar does a great job maximizing talent and Tillery’s physical tools make him an excellent addition to a defensive line lacking depth.
Tillery has 29 career starts but none in 2022. He started 26 games in 2020 and 2021 combined and had a respectable 7.5 sacks during that time along with 81 of his 106 career tackles.
Based on the current league standings for Week 10 of the NFL season, the Steelers are No. 3 on the waiver wire meaning Tillery is a real possibility. But will the Steelers pull the trigger on a former top pick who hasn’t panned out? Let us know in the comments below.
