Steelers OLB Surprises With Best Day of Training Camp

UNITY TWP., Pa. — If there is one name you have not heard enough from yet in the Steelers; outside linebacker room, it would be Quincy Roche. Once a draft pick with the Steelers, Roche bounced around a little bit, including with the New York Giants. But he never seemed productive enough, and so far, a quiet training camp has not given him much of a concrete path to the 53-man roster with the Steelers already rather deep.

Roche played in 14 games in 2021, and made three starts, but saw action in only three games — for six defensive snaps — in 2022. The Giants waived Roche to send him to their practice squad twice in 2022, but the Steelers did not step in and claim him, despite an injury to starting outside linebacker T.J. Watt. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Roche spent one season at Miami in 2020 before joining the Steelers. Roche started 10 games for the Hurricanes and finished with 14.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks while earning third-team All-ACC honors. He also forced two fumbles and recovered three.

But on Tuesday, Roche made a statement and let it be known that he was not to be forgotten just yet in training camp. And in this practice, Roche was absolutely everywhere. The Steelers offensive line had no way to stop him from taking over this drill. I thought that was something that really struck me right away. Roche knifed through for a tackle for loss against Le’Raven Clark. The next play was a play-action pass, and Roche used his bend around the edge to get a would-be sack. It was Roche’s best day at training camp so far.

He was shockingly quiet in the Steelers game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Even in camp, he flashed as a rookie, but this training camp, there has been little to hang your hat on for him. But finally, on Tuesday, he looked energized and like an entirely different player. There is some serious upside to Roche’s game on paper, but it has never matriculated itself onto the field just yet.