Steelers add defensive line depth
PITTSBURGH – The Steelers continued to work on building their depth Thursday, signing defensive lineman Ricardo Mathews to a one-year contract.
Mathews (6-3, 300) was a seventh-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2010 out of the University of Cincinnati. He has played in 80 games, making 15 starts, seven of which came last season for San Diego.
He’ll be counted on to add help at the defensive end position, where Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt played 90 percent or more of the defensive snaps down the stretch in 2015.
After the season, Heyward expressed interest in having more rotational help, something he feels will help his and Tuitt’s effectiveness.
Head coach Mike Tomlin said he wouldn’t use a rotation unless it was justified.
“If guys prove that they are capable, I have no problem playing a lot of people,” Tomlin said in January. “I’m not going to play people who aren’t.”
The Steelers hope they have acquired such a player in Mathews.
He had 21 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks in 12 games for San Diego in 2014, and 22 tackles and a sack last year. His sack last season came in a 24-20 loss to the Steelers. He has 94 career tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles.
Mathews, 28, becomes one of the Steelers’ most experienced linemen.
Starting nose tackle Steve McLendon left as a free agent for the New York Jets, and veteran backup Cam Thomas is an unrestricted free agent and not expected to be re-signed.
The only other defensive linemen on the roster are third-year nose tackle Daniel McCullers and second-year end L.T. Walton, who saw limited playing time as a rookie.