Steelers Waive Injured OLB Tuzar Skipper

The Pittsburgh Steelers have waived injured outside linebacker Tuzar Skipper, the team announced on Monday. The move clears a roster spot for the team to sign former Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears outside linebacker James Vaughters.

Skipper played in the team’s first preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday and recovered a fumble on the penultimate defensive play, giving the Steelers a chance to win the game on offense.

Skipper did not appear to be injured after the game and was not on head coach Mike Tomlin’s list of significant injuries following the game. 

The Steelers have been constantly searching for depth behind starting outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Skipper was brought in for his third stint with the team to contribute to that effort on June 1.

Skipper broke into the NFL with the Steelers as undrafted free agent out of Toledo in 2019 and quickly became a fan favorite after a strong performance that preseason. He made the team’s initial 53-man roster, but was waived in the first week of that season and claimed by the New York Giants. The Giants waived him and placed him on their practice squad, but the Steelers re-signed Skipper on Nov. 19, 2019.

He did not appear in a game with the team that season. In 2020, Skipper was among the final players cut from the Steelers’ training camp roster and caught on with the Tennessee Titans, signing to their practice squad on Sept. 15.

With the Titans, he was elevated to the active roster for four games and made two starts while recording five tackles before being lost for the rest of the season with an injury.  He re-signed with the Titans for 2021 in January and then re-signed with the club for 2022 before his release in early May.

In total, Skipper has appeared in 10 NFL games and made two starts. He has recored eight total tackles, one-half sack, one quarterback hit and recovered a fumble.

If he clears waivers, he will revert to the Steelers’ injured reserve list.