Steelers Notebook: OLB Gibson is likely to be lost on waivers
Monday, November 01, 2010
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
NEW ORLEANS -- The Steelers likely sacrificed their fourth-round draft choice on the altar of having defensive end Aaron Smith back -- maybe, possibly --for the playoffs.
Linebacker Thaddeus Gibson, who was placed on waivers Saturday so the Steelers could add defensive lineman Steve McLendon to the roster for a third game this season, likely will be claimed by another team off waivers today. It is expected that, at the very least, Buffalo will put in a claim for him; Doug Whaley, the former Steelers pro personnel coordinator, is Buffalo's assistant general manager.
Smith had surgery Monday to repair a torn triceps tendon in his left arm, and the Steelers hope he might be able to play by the end of the season or in the postseason.
They knew when they placed Gibson on waivers that a team likely would claim him and there would be little chance to sneak him through and onto the practice squad. They had other choices but chose this route.
"Linebacker is our deepest position," said coach Mike Tomlin on the team's website, "and [Gibson] is the low man on the totem pole, so we had to make that necessary move. We were thin at defensive line. It's just one of the casualties of this profession. It's very much a reality, and that's why we don't take what we're doing here for granted and we acknowledge that it's precious."
. I'd love to see him in the snowy games in Buffalo!!!!!!!! Maybe we can cut Kelsay so he can have his #90!!!!!
