The Steelers are stocking up ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft, which kicks off April 23.
Thursday, the team announced the signings of four free agents: cornerback Breon Borders, offensive tackle Anthony Coyle, center John Keenoy and defensive back Arrion Springs.
Coyle, Keenoy and Springs recently played in the XFL.
Borders, 24, is the only player of the four with regular-season-game experience at the NFL level. He originally signed with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2017, landing on their practice squad before being signed away by the Bills. After a short stint in Buffalo, Borders was waived by the Bills and promptly scooped up by the Texans, who placed him on the practice squad. That tenure was short-lived, too, as the Texans released Borders 20 days after signing him.
In late October of 2018, the Jaguars signed Borders to their practice squad, promoting him to the active roster on Dec. 22, 2018. That gave Borders his chance, as he appeared in 11 games for the Jaguars in the 2019 season, making one start, one fumble recovery, seven tackles (six solo) and one quarterback hit. There, he was largely a special-teams asset, and the Jaguars waived him before re-signing him to their practice squad on Dec. 3, 2019.
The Redskins, however, saw something in Borders and signed him off the Jaguars' practice squad on Dec. 24, 2019. He appeared in one game for them before being released on March 23. The Steelers look to give the 24-year-old Borders another chance to compete.
Coyle, 23, a first-team All-Patriot league tackle in his final two seasons at Fordham University, spent time on the Texans', Packers' and Falcons' practice squads, but never stuck. Most recently, he played for the XFL's New York Guardians.
Keenov, 23 and a former Western Michigan center, didn't stick at the NFL level after signing with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He played 1,000 snaps as a senior at Western Michigan, earning second-team All-MAC, MAC Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-MAC honors. That represented a slight downgrade from his junior season, when Keenoy was a first-team All-MAC selection.
Springs, 24, played from 2014-2017 AT Oregon, showcasing skills as both a safety and a cornerback. In his senior season, Springs tallied an interception, 18 passes-defended, a sack and 42 tackles, three for a loss. Springs originally signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and has spent time on the Chiefs', Browns', Saints', Raiders' and Chargers' practice squads. He was drafted by the XFL's Tampa Bay Vipers, but later traded to the Los Angeles Wildcats, for whom he registered an interception in a Feb. 23 win over the DC Defenders.
