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Steelers acquire Wilcox from Tampa Bay

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PITTSBURGH – Steelers GM Kevin Colbert has been so busy in the past week, he likely barely had time to sign his two-year contract extension with the team.

Sunday, Colbert was at it again, trading a sixth-round draft pick in 2018 to Tampa Bay for safety J.J. Wilcox and a seventh-round pick in 2019.

The trade was the Steelers’ third in the past two days and fifth major move in the past week.

The flurry of activity began last Tuesday when the team made a deal with San Francisco to acquire tight end Vance McDonald. A day later, the Steelers signed cornerback Joe Haden hours after he was released by Cleveland.

Saturday, the Steelers sent wide receiver Sammie Coates to the Browns and cornerback Ross Cockrell to the Giants for draft picks.

In Wilcox, the Steelers get a 26-year-old safety who was a third-round draft pick in 2013. Wilcox became expendable in Tampa when the Bucs signed former Pro Bowl safety T.J. Ward, who was released by Denver Saturday.

Tampa Bay had signed Wilcox to a two-year, $6.25 million contract in the offseason after he spent his first four seasons with Dallas. Wilcox has a salary of $2.125 million this season and $3.125 million in 2018.

The Steelers had a need at safety after veteran free safety Mike Mitchell missed the entire preseason with a torn hamstring. The Steelers currently have just two healthy safeties, Sean Davis and Robert Golden, on their roster. In addition to Mitchell, backup Jordan Dangerfield suffered an ankle injury in the team’s final preseason game.

Wilcox has appeared in 58 career games, making 214 tackles and five interceptions.

The Steelers will have to make a cooresponding roster move to make room for Wilcox on their roster. The team also must release another player when it activates running back Le’Veon Bell Monday.

In addition to the trade for Wilcox, the Steelers signed 10 players to their practice squad: center Kyle Friend, tight end Jake McGee, running back Fitzgerald Toussaint, wide receivers Marcus Tucker and Justin Thomas, linebacker Matt Galambos, safety Jacob Hagen, defensive end Lavon Hooks, linebacker Farrington Huguenin and cornerback Dashaun Phillips.

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