Veteran free agent cornerback Keenan Lewis has recently come and gone and even though the Pittsburgh Steelers decided against signing their former fourth-round draft pick, it appears as though they’ve left open the possibility of doing just that as soon as he can prove he’s 100 percent healthy.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, it is his understanding the Steelers are open to signing the 30-year-old Lewis at a later date. However, the cornerback likely needs at least a month or more of rehab before he’s ready to resume his NFL career as he’s currently dealing with groin and hip issues.
Lewis, who was released by the New Orleans Saints a week ago, came to Pittsburgh for a free agent visit last Tuesday and ultimately left town without a contract. After leaving town, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the Steelers did not like what they saw when they examined the cornerbacks’ hip. Additionally, Aditi Kinkhabwala of the NFL Network reported shortly thereafter that she was told that Lewis is also currently dealing with a sports hernia and that it would be an issue for at least six weeks.
For now, the Steelers are set to enter the 2016 regular season with cornerbacks William Gay, Ross Cockrell, Doran Grant and rookie first-round draft pick Artie Burns on their 53-man roster. Additionally, rookie second-round draft pick, safety Sean Davis, is currently slated to be the team’s starting nickel cornerback as we sit here two weeks away from the first regular season game. While the team could ultimately decide to also keep another young cornerback or two on their initial 53-man roster, it won’t be surprising to see them add one or two from outside the organization instead over the course of the next few weeks as other teams slowly make their roster cuts.
So, while the Steelers might indeed be open to signing Lewis at a later date, there’s no guarantee they will at this time and for now, that’s all that really matters.
