Tag: Elijah Riley

Steelers place safety Elijah Riley on IR

The Steelers announced multiple roster moves on Monday.

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced a handful of roster moves on Monday. Pittsburgh signed veteran safety Eric Rowe to the practice squad but we look for him to be elevated quickly as the team also announced they were placing safety Elijah Riley on IR.

Riley came in on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns but only played nine snaps before suffering a high ankle sprain.

The hope is that Pittsburgh can get Minkah Fitzpatrick back soon to pair back up with Damontae Kazee and guys like Rowe and Trenton Thompson can be relegated to reserve duty. Fitzpatrick has been dealing with a hamstring injury and his replacement, Keanu Neal went on IR just over a week ago with a rib injury.

This week the Steelers travel to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in a crucial AFC North showdown.

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Steelers DB Elijah Riley suffers ankle injury

The Steelers are getting very thin at safety.

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Elijah Riley suffered an ankle injury on his collision with teammate Cam Heyward and is doubtful to return against the Cleveland Browns. The Steelers were already operating short-handed in the defensive secondary so losing Riley only makes things worse.

The Steelers came into Sunday’s game without starting safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Keanu Neal, meaning Riley came into the game as the team’s top reserve safety behind starters Damontae Kazee and Trenton Thompson. Look for more Patrick Paterson back there with Riley out.

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Former Jets safety Elijah Riley claimed by Steelers

The recent cut from the Jets has landed in Pittsburgh

One of the Jets’ cuts from Tuesday did not last long at all on the open market. Safety Elijah Riley, waived by the Jets as they got their roster down to 80 players, was claimed off the waiver wire by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Riley started seven games for the Jets in 2021 after being plucked from the Eagles’ practice squad in early November. He recorded 45 tackles and one sack during his time with the Jets.

Riley is entering his third NFL season, having spent 2020 with the Eagles after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Army.

In a corresponding move, the Steelers waived safety Donovan Stiner.

Safety Elijah Riley among Jets cuts Tuesday

The safety room was trimmed a bit Tuesday.

The Jets trimmed their safety group on Tuesday as they got their roster down to the 80-man limit heading into the final preseason week.

Elijah Riley was among the five players cut Tuesday by the Jets, including two offensive linemen, a linebacker and kicker Eddy Pineiro.

Riley started seven games for the Jets in 2021 after being signed off the Eagles’ practice squad in November. Riley recorded 45 tackles and a sack.

Riley originally came into the league with the Eagles as an undrafted rookie out of Army in 2020.

The cutting of Riley leaves the Jets with six safeties. The top three are locks at this point with Jordan Whitehead, Lamarcus Joyner and Jason Pinnock. It’s now a matter of what the Jets do with Ashtyn Davis, Will Parks and Tony Adams.

Jets Free Agent Profile: What to do with S Elijah Riley?

Elijah Riley was one of the Jets’ few bright spots on defense in 2021. Should he return next season?

Before Joe Douglas can focus on external targets, he has a handful of impending in-house free agents to evaluate.

The Jets have 28 players set to hit the open market this offseason. Some won’t factor into New York’s plans for 2022, while others, it’s safe to assume, the Jets would like to keep around for a while. Either way, Douglas has a lot of work to do to put together a competitive roster for Robert Saleh’s second year at the helm.

Elijah Riley was a revelation for the Jets in 2021. The second-year safety essentially came out of nowhere to become one of New York’s best defensive backs in the second half of the season. His play helped solidify the secondary after a season-ending injury to Marcus Maye, which may have earned Riley a new contract with Gang Green.

Should the Jets hang onto Riley, who is an exclusive rights free agent? Let’s evaluate the situation in Jets Wire’s latest free agent profile.

Jets S Elijah Riley on Tom Brady’s game-winner: ‘I just need to make that play’

Jets safety Elijah Riley owned up to allowing Buccaneers QB Tom Brady’s game-winning touchdown at the end of New York’s Week 17 loss.

Elijah Riley knows that Tom Brady’s game-winning touchdown against the Jets was on him.

The Jets safety was the closest defender when Tampa Bay’s Cyril Grayson hauled in a 33-yard touchdown with 15 seconds left in the game. The pinpoint pass from Brady gave the Buccaneers a 27-24 lead and the eventual win.

“I just need to make that play, for real” Riley said afterward.

That one play marred what was otherwise a solid return for the safety. Sunday was Riley’ first game back from a serious-looking concussion a few weeks ago. He finished with six tackles and one TFL.

Riley will be remembered for his lapse in coverage, though. That mishap ultimately cost the Jets an upset over the playoff-bound Buccaneers.

“There’s no moral victories.” Riley said. “So what, we played close? We’ve got to finish it and get the win.”

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Jets’ only healthy safeties are newcomers

The Jets’ only healthy safeties are a pair of players who haven’t taken a single snap for New York.

Ashtyn Davis and Sharrod Neasman are on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Elijah Riley is in concussion protocol. That means the Jets’ only healthy safeties are a pair of players who haven’t taken a single snap for New York.

Meet Will Parks and practice squad member Elijah Benton.

Parks was claimed off waivers this week after the Dolphins released him on Dec. 20. The 27-year-old played for the Broncos and Eagles from 2016-2020. He has 180 tackles, 13 defended passes and four interceptions for his career.

Benton, meanwhile, was signed in early December. The 25-year-old spent time with the Seahawks and Patriots this season. Benton entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Browns in 2020. He appeared in one game for Cleveland and only played a handful of snaps on special teams.

Both players now have a chance to see significant snaps at safety, a position that has hindered the Jets all season. There is a chance Riley returns this week after his scary Week 15 collision, but Parks and Benton could play a lot either way when the Jets face the Jaguars this weekend.

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4 things to know about new Jets safety Will Parks

Get to know new Jets safety Will Parks after he was signed on Tuesday.

The Jets signed safety Will Parks on Tuesday, adding some depth to their secondary after Elijah Riley suffered a concussion against the Dolphins and Michael Carter II was placed on the COVID-19 list.

Parks has bounced around the league throughout 2021, with New York being his fourth stop of the year. The Jets are hoping the 27-year-old can provide some much-needed veteran help if called upon, as they have struggled in the secondary all season.

Here are four things to know about New York’s newest safety.

Elijah Riley ‘checked out fine’ after scary neck injury, will travel home with Jets

Some good news: Elijah Riley “checked out fine” following a scary neck injury and will travel home with the Jets, according to Robert Saleh.

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Elijah Riley “checked out fine” following a scary neck injury and will travel home with the Jets, according to Robert Saleh.

The safety collided with teammate Kyle Phillips in the third quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins while trying to make a tackle. Riley eventually left the game on a stretcher after a lengthy game break. Riley showed motion and gave a thumbs-up as he was taken off the field. A member of New York’s training staff held the player’s neck in place on the cart.

The Army product has looked like a steal for the Jets ever since he was picked off the Eagles’ practice squad. The hope is that the local product returns soon.

In other injury news, Quinnen Williams departed with a shoulder injury in the second half and never returned. Saleh said that it was the same shoulder he recently injured, but did not have an update on his condition beyond that.

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6 takeaways from the Jets’ Week 15 loss to the Dolphins

The Jets jumped out to a 10-0 lead over the Dolphins, but didn’t do enough to parlay that into a Week 15 win. Takeaways from the action:

The Jets seemed poised to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Dolphins, jumping out to an early 10-0 lead and dominating in every facet of the game.

Then Miami kicked it into gear and bounced back for a 31-24 win. Brandin Echols knotted things up at 24 with a pick-six midway through the fourth quarter, but the Dolphins got back in the end zone on their next drive and Zach Wilson didn’t have enough time in the pocket to get anything going.

Here are six takeaways from Gang Green’s third straight loss.