Two official Pittsburgh Steelers tryouts were listed on the NFL transaction log on Monday, July 22. They were fullback Tory Carter and defensive lineman Marquiss Spencer.
Of the two, Carter stands out because of the coaching change over to Arthur Smith on the offensive side. According to his NFL Network scouting report written by Chad Reuter and Lance Zierlein, Carter was once “rated the top fullback recruit in the country coming out of Lee County High School in Georgia.”
He was also a dual-position athlete that played defense in high school (recorded nine sacks) and tight end at LSU later on. Carter appeared to bounce back and forth from tight end to fullback throughout college but has settled into the backfield role at the NFL level due to his size (6-foot, 229 pounds).
“[He is a] rabid competitor who treats every snap like a fist-fight and gets under the skin of opponents who are on the other side of his competitive fire,” Zierlein stated within the 2021 scouting report. Adding later that Carter is a hard worker who “walks around with wild-man energy.”
Since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2021, Carter has spent the majority of his time with the Tennessee Titans. He’s appeared in 17 games and started five of them, logging 119 total snaps on offense and another 266 on special teams.
At his core, Carter is a willing space blocker and core special teamer. His last outing of regular season action came in 2022.
Tory Carter Could Compete With Connor Heyward & Jack Colletto for Steelers FB Job if Signed
Most of the NFL has gotten away from rostering a fullback in the modern era, but Smith is one of the few exceptions to that trend. The Steelers currently have fullback Jack Colletto on the 90-man squad entering training camp, as well as Connor Heyward listed as a tight end/fullback hybrid.
If signed, Carter could compete with the two for a blocking role in Smith’s offense.
Of course, he could also replace Colletto or Heyward ahead of camp if the Steelers feel either aren’t up for the challenge.
“This is the guy you want in the fox hole with you,” an AFC area scout said of Carter in 2021 (per NFL Network). “Great teammate and loyal.”
Marquiss Spencer Will Hope to Make Impression on Steelers After Failed Stints With Broncos & Jets
As for Spencer, the other of the two July 22 tryouts, the former seventh-round defensive lineman out of Mississippi State is a bit of a tweener that has played defensive end and defensive tackle throughout his career.
Like Carter, he entered the league in 2021 — except with the Denver Broncos rather than the Titans.
At the time, he was scouted as a “defensive end who might have to move inside if he’s not more careful about managing his weight,” per Zierlein.
“He’s a flash player with natural strength to strike and play around blocks, but too often he ends up on the ground or blocked,” the draft expert continued in 2021. “He has first-step explosiveness and good edge bend, but he’s going to need to keep his motor cranked up enough from snap to snap and as a secondary pass rusher. He has draftable talent but lacks the grit to play inside, so he might need to get in better shape to stay at his natural position.”
While it’s unclear exactly what condition Spencer is in now, he’s listed at 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds on Pro Football Reference. And there’s little doubt that the Steelers attempted to get to the bottom of any physical concerns during his tryout.
After a year and change with the Broncos, Spencer spent some time inside the New York Jets system as a practice squad player. He failed to make an impact at both destinations with just one regular season appearance and one tackle assist.
Steelers training camp begins on Wednesday, July 24. We’ll see if either of these two tryouts are in attendance when players report.
