With injuries on their defensive line piling up, the Steelers have turned to a former first-round pick for some help. The Steelers signed veteran defensive end Taco Charlton to their practice squad on Tuesday.
Pittsburgh lost defensive lineman Tyson Alualu for the season after the former first-round pick fractured his ankle during the Steelers' Week 2 loss to the Raiders. Fellow defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt is currently on injured reserve with a knee injury. Those injuries have led to the Steelers inserting veterans Chris Wormley and Isaiah Buggs into the starting lineup alongside four-time Pro Bowler Cam Heyward. Pittsburgh promoted defensive lineman Henry Mondeaux to its 53-man roster after placing Alualu on injured reserve.
The 28th overall pick in the 2017 draft, the 6-foot-6, 270-pound Charlton recorded 46 tackles and four sacks in two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. After being released by the Cowboys two weeks into the 2019 season, he spent the majority of that season with the Miami Dolphins, where he recorded five sacks and two forced fumbles in 10 games. Charlton spent the 2020 season with the Chiefs, where he compiled two sacks, seven tackles and a forced fumble in seven games. He was released by Kansas City on Aug. 23. In 44 career games, the 26-year-old Charlton has 12 starts, 11 sacks, 74 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 20 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Prior to the NFL, Charlton played collegiately at the University of Michigan, where he tallied 10 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss during his senior season. He was a two-sport star at Pickerington High School Central in Pickerington, Ohio, helping the Tigers win their first-ever boys basketball state championship in 2012.
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