Jacob Slade, a former Pittsburgh Maulers draft pick, plans to remain on the Steelers practice squad in 2024.
When the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Jacob Slade to a reserve/future contract in January, they were preparing for an offseason where Montravius Adams and Armon Watts would become free agents. The Steelers ended up bringing Adams back but let Watts walk in free agency. Still, Slade, a 2023 draft pick of the Pittsburgh Maulers, seems to be a developmental piece for the defensive line as he is in a pretty loaded defensive line room.
In front of Slade, there are at least eight guys that are or are expecting to be apart of the Steelers defensive line rotation in 2024. Those include Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Larry Ogunjobi, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Dean Lowry, DeMarvin Leal, Logan Lee and Adams. That means that even some of those guys will not crack the 53-man roster as the Steelers typically run with six defensive lineman.
Slade has a few advantages leaning in his favor upon his arrival in Pittsburgh. The first being his relationship with the Steelers Director of Pro Scouting Sheldon White. When Slade entered college at Michigan State, White was was the director of player personnel and recruiting for the Spartans.
Another advantage is he is young and has a great frame for defensive tackle. Last season, the Steelers kept guys like Fehoko and Jonathan Marshall on the practice squad as developmental and depth pieces for the line. While Fehoko was elevated, he did not record any stats. Slade could be gunning for a role similar to what Fehoko was in last season.
The last advantage that Slade has is the Steelers love for football bloodlines. Slade played at Michigan State with his twin brother Zach. The Steelers have become notorious for rostering brothers and trying players out from certain bloodlines. For example, the Steelers drafted Joey Porter Jr. and they acquired both Nick and Nate Herbig. In recent memory, the Steelers rostered T.J. Watt’s brother Derek Watt and two of the three Edmunds brothers.
Regardless, the former Spartan faces an uphill battle as the team enters training camp and will have to beat out a handful of guys for even a practice squad spot. The Steelers also brought in another inexperienced defensive tackle, Willington Previlon, to compete in the same role. For Slade, this training camp is more about sticking to the practice squad rather than stealing a roster spot.
79 • Jacob Slade, Defensive Tackle, Michigan State
6-foot-4, 305 pounds, 24 years old, 2nd Season
Acquired: The Steelers signed Jacob Slade to a reserve/future contract on Jan. 17, 2024.
Last season: Slade came out in the 2023 NFL Draft and signed as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals. Slade earned several guarantees from the Cardinals when signing after the draft but was released following roster cut-downs in August.
The Cardinals brought him back as a practice squad player where he would be off-and-on the practice squad a handful of times throughout the regular season.
Steelers DL Jacob Slade
Michigan State Spartans defensive lineman Jacob Slade in the Peach Bowl against the Pitt Panthers on December 30, 2021.
Year GP Def. Snaps Tackles Sacks Pressures FFs
2023 0 0 0 0 0 0
College: Jacob Slade, along with his twin brother Zach, committed to play their collegiate football at Michigan State despite being from near Columbus, Ohio. Slade enrolled in 2018 and redshirted but he did appear in 11 snaps on defense as a true freshman, recording one tackle.
In 2019, Slade rotated in at defensive tackle and played in all 13 games for the Spartans. He finished the season with 14 combined tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one defended pass. The following season, Slade started all seven games at defensive tackle during the Big Ten’s COVID-shortened season. He finished the year with 13 tackles.
Slade really took off as a redshirt junior as he played in all 13 games and started the final 12 of them at defensive tackle. He finished the season with a career-high 40 tackles, five tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks and two defended passes. He earned AP Second-Team All-Big Ten honors following the season.
Slade returned for a fifth season but was limited throughout the season due to an injury. Over his five seasons at Michigan State, Slade appeared in 42 games and started 26 of them as he logged 88 combined tackles, 11.5 sacks, four sacks and four defended passes.
Year GP Tackles TFLs Sacks PDs
2018 1 1 0 0 0
2019 13 14 2.5 1 1
2020 7 13 0.5 0 1
2021 13 40 5 2.5 2
2022 8 20 3.5 0.5 0
Salary cap and future: Jacob Slade signed a reserve/future contract with the Steelers for the 2024 season. If he makes the team in 2024, he will cost $795,000 against the team’s cap space. None of his contract is guaranteed meaning if the Steelers decide to release him, they will not face any dead money penalties.
