Steelers sign Anderson, further add defensive line depth

Kevin Colbert keeps adding veteran bodies to his defensive line's depth chart before the NFL Draft.

The Steelers announced the signing of defensive end Abdullah Anderson Monday:

That move followed up the signing of T.J. Carter just three days earlier on Friday.

But Anderson is different from Carter in that he actually brings NFL experience. 

The 6-foot-3, 297 lbs., defensive lineman went undrafted out of Bucknell in the 2018 NFL Draft, Anderson was signed by the Bears. He would make it until the final preseason cuts that season, but would be signed to the team's practice squad and remain there until signing a futures contract going into the 2019 season.

It was during 2019 that Anderson saw the most action of his short NFL career. He played in six games on the Bears' defensive line, recording a sack on Teddy Bridgewater and four tackles in his 106 defensive snaps that year. He would also play a limited role on special teams with 16 snaps for the Bears' unit that season.

Anderson would eventually be relegated to the Bears' practice squad again at the start of the 2020 season before being cut that September. He would quickly get signed to the Vikings' practice squad a week later but he only made one appearance for the Vikings after being called up for a week nine matchup with the Lions that involved just ten defensive snaps.

After that game, Anderson was again relegated to the Vikings' practice squad before the team would let his contract expire in Jan. 2011.

Considering the Steelers re-signed both Chris Wormley and Tyson Alualu as depth options behind Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt, the room on the depth chart behind them on the defensive line looks tight. Anderson will most likely have to battle third-year lineman Isaiah Buggs and second-year lineman Carlos Davis for playing time, making for a competitive August battle in training camp and the Steelers' preseason.