In a surprise move, the Pittsburgh Steelers waived/injured inside linebacker Ulysees Gilbert III, a former sixth-round pick who was entering his fourth season with the club. Gilbert has missed the past several practices after sustaining a lower-body injury.
In a corresponding move, the Steelers claimed linebacker Hamilcar Rashed Jr. off waivers from the New York Jets. An Oregon State product, the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Rashed appeared in one game last season. He went undrafted last spring despite a solid college career that included his 14-sack campaign in 2019.
Gilbert came to Pittsburgh in 2019 following a successful four-year run at Akron. Injuries hampered his first two seasons with the Steelers, as he was placed on injured reserve three times over that span. Gilbert rebounded to play in each of Pittsburgh's 17 regular-season games in 2021. He was a staple of the Steelers' special teams, playing in at least 56% of Pittsburgh's special teams snaps in each game last season.
Along with Rashed, the Steelers' current depth chart at inside linebacker includes Devin Bush, Myles Jack, Robert Spillane, Marcus Allen, Buddy Johnson and Mark Robinson. Pittsburgh signed Jack, a former Jacksonville Jaguars standout, to a two-year deal at the start of free agency. Bush, the 10th overall pick in the 2019 Draft, is looking to bounce back following a disappointing 2021 campaign that saw him return to the field after missing most of the prior season with a torn ACL.
