Vikings Sign Former Steelers Draft Pick

The Minnesota Vikings have signed former Steelers sixth-round pick and edge rusher Quincy Roche, the team announced on Thursday. This is Roche’s first team since Pittsburgh cut ties with him in August following an underwhelming preseason and training camp.

Roche, the team’s sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, did not make the team out of training camp in his rookie year and was claimed on waivers by the New York Giants. Roche spent all of the 2021 and 2022 seasons in New York, collecting 25 tackles over 16 games before re-signing with the Steelers on a reserve/future contract ahead of the 2023 season.

He was in competition to be the team’s fifth outside linebacker, but the team ultimately decided on keeping only four on their active roster, with T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Markus Golden and Nick Herbig able to be supplanted by DeMarvin Leal from the defensive line.

This preseason, Roche played 39 snaps against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the opener and then played only special teams in Week 2 before getting 26 snaps of defense against the Atlanta Falcons in the finale, according to PFF.

He finished the preseason with three all-situations tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry.

At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, Roche has had ideal size for his position, but has yet to turn that into productivity as a pro.

As a redshirt junior at Temple in 2019, Roche broke a school record for the most tackles for loss (6.0) in a single game and also recorded the third most sacks in a single game in Temple history. For his efforts, Roche was awarded as the AAC Defensive Player of the Year. 

Prior to his senior season, Roche transferred to Miami, where he kept the momentum that he built in 2019. As a redshirt senior, Roche started all 10 games for the Hurricanes and finished with 45 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. Roche was tied for first in the ACC for forced fumbles with three.