#NFL #proCane Cuts: #Jets QB Jake Heaps, #Eagles OL Jared Wheeler, #Chargers DL Luther Robinson, #Bears DL Olsen Pierre, #Dolphins WR LaRon Byrd, #Vikings DB DeMarcus Van Dyke.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- If DeMarcus Van Dyke makes the roster, he'll play against all three of his former teams this season. 

His second outing against some familiar faces will come on Saturday against the Oakland Raiders, when the Vikings welcome ex-purple like Bill Musgrave, Christian Ponder, Mike Tice, Jack Del Rio and even J'Marcus Webb. Van Dyke said there's no hard feelings for the team that drafted him in the third round (81st overall) in 2011, just 69 selections after the Vikings took Ponder with the 12th-overall pick. 

"I don't have any type of juices going on," Van Dyke said. "It's just another game out there against guys I kind of know. [Cornerback] Chimdi Chekwa, [running back] Taiwan Jones, [assistant DBs] coach [Rod] Woodson is still over there." 

Van Dyke, 26, was one of the final picks made by the Raiders' late owner/general manager Al Davis before his passing in October 2011. Van Dyke didn't last long under the new general manager, Reggie McKenzie. He landed with Pittsburgh before he parted ways in August 2013 with an injury settlement, the same outcome he had with the Kansas City Chiefs last season.

He signed a one-year, veteran minimum deal with the Vikings in January to mark his fourth team in five years. 

Continued NFL chances come for Van Dyke, a college track standout at the University of Miami who posted the fastest 40-yard dash time at the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.28. That raw talent lifted him up to a third-round pick despite starting just three games for the Hurricanes as a senior in 2010. He finished his 'U' career with 21 starts in 51 games. 

"He can really run," defensive coordinator George Edwards said. "He can line up and run with the best of them, but understanding what we need to get out of him by call, fundamental technique is the biggest thing." 

Now under a respected defensive coach in Mike Zimmer, Van Dyke is still adjusting to the coach's techniques while trying to find a place to dig in as a NFL cornerback. The Vikings looked to get longer and more athletic at cornerback, which is where Van Dyke (6-1, 187) comes in. With second-year cornerback Jabari Price suspended for the first two regular season games and fourth-year cornerback Josh Robinson held back with a partially torn pectoral muscle, the window for Van Dyke, who highlighted his training camp with a two-interception outing this month, appears open. 

"This is my fifth year in the league," Van Dyke said. "I want to show them I'm here for a reason, I can play cornerback."


(1500espn.com)

Cornerback is an area of concern for the Vikings headed into the offseason, and it appears the team is already taking steps to address that particular need.

Per Yahoo!, the Vikings have signed former Raiders and Steelers CB DeMarcus Van Dyke.

It’s not exactly an official confirmation but Van Dyke does have this going on his Twitter.

Update: The team has now confirmed signing Van Dyke to a futures deal.

A third round draft pick by the Raiders out of Miami in 2011, Van Dyke struggled to get on the field his rookie season and wound up being cut right before the start of 2012.

Van Dyke spent 2012 with the Steelers and was waived by Pittsburgh with an injury settlement in 2013. The Chiefs added him to their practice squad in 2013 and he was back with the team in camp in 2014. He was placed on IR after camp and left with an injury settlement.

The Vikings worked him out during the season but did not sign him.

Van Dyke has blazing speed as you would expect from someone who was drafted by the Raiders. He ran a 4.25 40 at the combine in 2011. He also has decent size at 6-1.

Without doubt, Van Dyke has some interesting physical tools. If he can stay healthy, perhaps the Vikings have found someone they can develop. Mike Zimmer is always on the lookout for projects.


(thevikingage.com)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Chiefs could be in the market to bolster defensive secondary depth, and with a familiar name.

The Chiefs on Wednesday worked out cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke, according to a source.

The 6-1, 185-pound Van Dyke spent the offseason, organized team activities (OTAs), minicamp, training camp and preseason with the Chiefs before being placed on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain injury following the final preseason game against the Green Bay Packers.

The Chiefs and Van Dyke reached an injury settlement on Sept. 8, which made Van Dyke eligible to sign a free-agent contract with another team. Van Dyke previously worked out for the Minnesota Vikings, but left without a signing a contract.

Meanwhile, because Van Dyke’s injury settlement came with the Chiefs, Kansas City can’t sign him until the duration of the agreed upon injury settlement expires, in this case six games, according to a source.

The Chiefs, should the team choose, can sign Van Dyke on Monday, Dec. 1.

The 25-year-old Van Dyke, who possesses 4.28 40-yard dash speed, originally entered the league in 2011 out of Miami as a third-round pick of the Oakland Raiders. He then spent two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers before signing a reserve/future deal with the Chiefs in January 2014.

He appeared in the Chiefs’ four preseason games, totaling four tackles (three solo), three passes defensed, a forced fumble and one special teams tackle.

Kansas City currently has cornerbacks Sean Smith, rookie Phillip Gaines, Marcus Cooper, Jamell Fleming and Chris Owens on the roster. Fleming has missed four straight games with a hamstring injury, while Owens missed two straight games with a knee injury.

The Chiefs wouldn’t confirm the Van Dyke workout, but the team doesn’t normally comment on individual workout sessions.


(chiefsdigest.com)

Chiefs newcomers DeMarcus and David Van Dyke have waited a lifetime for this opportunity.

For as long as they can remember, the first cousins always wanted to wear the same uniform. It didn’t matter … high school, college or the NFL.

They finally got their opportunity when the Chiefs signed DeMarcus as a veteran free agent in the off-season and David as an undrafted rookie free agent in May.

One problem.

Both are cornerbacks. It’s going to be difficult for one of them to crack a roster that includes 10 corners heading into training camp, much less both.

So while the cousins may be close companions, they’re also keen competitors.

“May the best man win,” said DeMarcus Van Dyke, 25, a veteran of one NFL season with Oakland and two with Pittsburgh. “I’ll be proud of him if he does make it, because I want him to win an opportunity in the NFL. He’s worked hard since little league to get here, so anything I can do to help him win a job, I’m down for it.”

David Van Dyke, 23, put his personal feelings aside when it comes to battling his cousin on the field.

“You have to compete for a job,” he said, “no matter what team you go to.”

While the Pro Football Hall of Fame lists 348 sets of siblings who have played in the NFL — most famously the Manning brothers — few were teammates. Though there are no records kept of first cousins, it’s rare for a team not only to have first cousins on the roster, but two who play the same position.

David Van Dyke, who played free safety at Tennessee State, is embracing the opportunity.

“I knew it would be a nice fit because all my life I’ve been learning from him, following in his footsteps,” she said. “He’s the reason I’m here. He pushed me (to sign with the Chiefs).”

The Van Dykes played at different high schools in Miami, and DeMarcus, 25, went on to the University of Miami where he used his blazing speed as a football and track athlete for the Hurricanes.

The cousins could have played together one year at Miami, but David Van Dyke went to Tennessee State, where he was a second-team all-Ohio Valley Conference selection. He recorded four interceptions last season, including a 46-yard touchdown return.

“I pushed Miami to offer him a scholarship,” DeMarcus said, “but there was a coaching change. The third time is a charm ... we got it right.”

Though DeMarcus Van Dyke never was a fulltime starter at Miami (21 starts in 50 games) his stock rose after he ran a 4.28 in the 40-yard dash at the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine. That time, which is still the fifth-fastest at the Combine since electronic timing began in 1999, endeared him to the speed-loving Oakland Raiders, who selected him in the third round as the 81st overall pick in the draft.

Van Dyke lasted just one season with the Raiders. He appeared in 14 games in 2011, starting four, including a game at Oakland against the Chiefs in which he intercepted a Matt Cassel pass, his only career pick. He was released in the final roster cut down before the 2012 season and was signed by Pittsburgh.

On his first snap on opening day at Denver, he downed a punt at Broncos 1, but Van Dyke missed the last seven games of the 2012 season with a shoulder injury and appeared in just two games last season because of hamstring issues.

“If I stay healthy, I’ll be okay,” said Van Dyke, who lined up mostly at left cornerback during last week’s Organized Team Activities. “I can bring a lot of things to this team … on special teams, covering guys, whatever the coaches need me to do, I can do.

“I love this defense, playing with guys like Sean Smith and Eric Berry …”

Van Dyke’s 6-foot-1, 187-pound size and his outstanding speed made him attractive to the Chiefs, who play a lot of man-press coverage.

“He was a good player in college,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid. “He’s had some ups and downs in the NFL. We brought him in for competition. We’ll give him an opportunity to see how it works in the scheme. We do a little bit more bump and run than maybe he’s done before. We think that’s one of his strengths.”

David Van Dyke, 6-0, 185 will have a tougher road to making the team, though he could have the opportunity to work on making the conversion from safety to cornerback on the practice squad.

“He’s a tough kid,” Reid said. “It looks like he’s made the transition from safety pretty good. He needs as many reps as he can possibly get to make that transition. It’s good competition when (the cousins) work against each other.”

DeMarcus Van Dyke felt a connection to the Chiefs long before he came to Kansas City.

“I always rooted for Kansas City growing up because of Derrick Thomas came from Miami,” he said. “I got my first interception against Kansas City …

“And when I was hurt last year, I watched Kansas City because (defensive lineman) Allen Bailey was my roommate at Miami. So it’s kind of crazy. I rooted for
them every game.”


(kansas.com)

The Chiefs signed former Oakland and Pittsburgh cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke to a reserve-futures contract Friday, according to a source.

Van Dyke, who also confirmed the signing on Twitter, is listed at 6 feet 1 and 187 pounds. He was taken in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Raiders — despite starting in only three of his 13 appearances his senior year at the University of Miami — after he ran a 4.28 in the 40-yard dash at the year’s combine.

He was released after one season and two training camps in Oakland, where he had 10 tackles and one interception as a rookie and logged a negative-3.5 rating in 329 defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

Van Dyke was signed by Pittsburgh and appeared in nine games in 2012, logging three tackles on special teams, primarily as a gunner. He was waived in August and reached an injury settlement with the team, but was re-signed in November and ended up appearing in two games, making a special-teams tackle.


(kansascity.com)

According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed former cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke after working him out on Tuesday.

Van Dyke who suffered a serious hamstring injury early on in training camp, failed to play during the preseason and as a result he was waived injured prior to the start of the regular season. Once he reverted back to the Steelers injured reserve list Van Dyke was waived from in late August with an injury settlement.

Van Dyke was on the Steelers 53 man roster last season but only played on special teams. He ended the season on the injured reserve list after suffering a shoulder injury early in the game against the Dallas Cowboys.

We have yet to learn what the corresponding move is, but it might include Curtis Brown.


(steelersdepot.com)

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions have worked out defensive backs DeMarcus Van Dyke, Curtis Marsh, Kip Edwards and DeQuan Menzie, according to the Baltimore Sun.

The club could be in the market for a DB, but more likely is doing advance work should someone be needed later.

The most interesting prospect of the bunch is Van Dyke, a corner who blazed a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the 2011 combine. The Miami star was selected in the third round by the Raiders and played in 14 games that year, starting four, but was released before the 2012 season.

Pittsburgh picked up the 6-1, 187-pounder, but Van Dyke was slowed by a shoulder injury in 2012, then was waived/injured this August after suffering a severe hamstring injury during training camp.

Menzie already was with the Lions once, after being claimed off waivers in May, but the former fifth-round pick was released during training camp. At 5-11, 202 pounds, he can play corner or safety.

Marsh, a former third-rounder out of Utah State, has played in 24 games the past three seasons for the Eagles and Bengals. The 6-1, 197-pound corner played two games this season for Cincinnati but was cut earlier this month.

Edwards is a 6-1, 193-pound cornerback who went undrafted out of Missouri this year. He was picked up by the Buffalo Bills, but cut during training camp.


(mlive.com)

The Miami Dolphins auditioned six defensive backs, including former St. Louis Rams and Detroit Lions cornerback Ronald Bartell and former Buffalo Bills cornerback Terrence McGee, according to a league source.

The Dolphins also worked out former Indianapolis Colts cornerback Jacob Lacey.

The workout included cornerbacks Jalil Brown, Ryan Mouton and DeMarcus Van Dyke.

Van Dyke played collegiately at the University of Miami.


(nationalfootballpost.com)

The Bucs worked out free agent cornerbacks Crezdon Butler and DeMarcus Van Dyke on Tuesday.

Butler was waived by the Bills during final cuts and would be a depth signing behind rookie RCB Jonathan Banks and slot corner Leonard Johnson. The Bucs also visited with free agent safeties Tyrell Johnson and Tyler Sash. Van Dyke was waived by the Steelers, then put on IR, but then reached an injury settlement with Pittsburgh.


(rotoworld.com)

The Pittsburgh Steelers made several transactions on Saturday as they trimmed their roster down to 53 players, but one insignificant move went unreported.

According to the official NFL transaction release from Friday, the Steelers waived cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke from injured reserve with an injury settlement.

Van Dyke, who the Steelers signed last year at about this time, was waived injured last week with a hamstring injury that he suffered during training camp.

Depending on the terms of the settlement, the former third-round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders, can now begin looking for work once he is fully healthy, so there is a chance Van Dyke might find a home on a roster over the course of the season

Van Dyke is no longer eligible for a practice squad, so a team that signs him must keep him on their 53 man roster.


(steelersdepot.com)

NFL teams are cutting their rosters down to the final 53 but also adding to their rosters.

OL Tyler Horn was released by the Texans.

TE Chase Ford who was cut by the Minnesota Vikings was SIGNED to the Vikings practice squad. WR Tommy Streeter who was cut by the Ravens has been signed to the Buffalo Bills practice squad. DL Marcus Forston was signed to the Patriots practice squad. DE Adewale Ojomo who was previously cut by the NY Giants was signed to the Giants’ practice squad.

LB Rocky McIntosh was released by the Lions. LB/DE Baraka Atkins was cut by the New Orleans Saints. DB DeMarcus Van Dyke who was cut by the Steelers and then placed on IR, was waived off of IR with a Settlement. TE Richard Gordon was cut by the Raiders. DL Antonio Dixon was cut by the Eagles. DL Micanor Regis was cut by the Falcons.

Previously, after the third NFL Pre Season game, four proCanes were cut. Ravens WR and RB Tommy Streeter and Damien Berry were waived respectively. Eagles Safety Kenny Phillips was waived. Raiders DB Cory Nelms was also waived.

The Pittsburgh Steelers waived cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke and guard Justin Cheadle injured on Sunday, and now both have cleared waivers Tuesday and reverted back to the injured reserve list.

Strangely enough, both players suffered serious hamstring injuries that led to them being waived injured.

Van Dyke never got a chance to show what he could do on defense after being signed just prior to the start of the 2012 season following his release from the Oakland Raiders. In addition, he didn’t do himself any favors last year when he was flagged fives times on special teams in a matter of four games.

Just when it looked like he might actually see some playing time on defense late last year in the game against the Dallas Cowboys, Van Dyke injured his shoulder early in the game on special teams and was lost for the remainder of the year.


(steelersdepot.com)

After the third NFL Pre Season game, five proCanes have been waived. Ravens WR and RB Tommy Streeter and Damien Berry were waived respectively. Eagles Safety Kenny Phillips was waived as was Steelers DB DeMarcus Van Dyke. Raiders DB Cory Nelms was also waived.

I was really looking forward to seeing Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke play this preseason, but a hamstring injury has prevented that from happening thus far. Although he wasn’t officially ruled Saturday morning by head coach Mike Tomlin for the Monday night game against the Washington Redskins, it’s not looking like Miami product will be in uniform for the second preseason game.

It’s been 19 days since Van Dyke suffered his injury during practice, and it makes you wonder why he is still on the roster at this point. It would be one thing if the Steelers had a healthy group of cornerbacks during that span of time, but they didn’t. When they added a few cornerbacks to roster to fill the injury void at the position, they chose to waive players from other positions instead of cutting loose Van Dyke.

Prior to last season getting underway, the Steelers claimed Van Dyke off of waivers from the Oakland Raiders and Tomlin talked about the reason for the move.
“We were interested in this young man when he came out in the draft in 2011,” said Tomlin. ” Obviously, we ended up with Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen, but he was within that group and in that range from a grading standpoint. I was at his pro day. He’s got big-time upside, he’s an extremely fast guy. It was an opportunity for us to put a young cornerback in the mix and continue to work with him and develop his skill and see if maybe he can help us at some point.”

So does Tomlin and the rest of the Steelers coaching still believe that “some point” is still possible with Van Dyke? Is there a possibility that he is kept as either the fifth or even a sixth cornerback this year? Remember, Van Dyke is no longer eligible for the practice squad due to the amount of games he played for the Raiders as a rookie.

Van Dyke has two qualities that are coveted in NFL cornerbacks and that’s size and speed. However, neither of those qualities help the Steelers if he can’t get on the field to use them.

Last season Van Dyke made Tomlin look smart in the first two regular season games as the Raiders former third-round draft pick contributed on special teams as a gunner. Unfortunately, Van Dyke wasn’t smart himself over the course of the next four games, and he found himself on the game-day inactive list for several weeks after registering five special teams penalties during that span of four games.

Should Van Dyke be able to get back on the practice field early next week he will have a good shot at playing in the final two preseason games. However, should he wind up missing the third preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs; he will only have a short amount of time left to display that big-time upside that Tomlin talked about nearly a full year ago.


(steelersdepot.com)

The Pittsburgh Steelers welcomed back rookie cornerback Terry Hawthorne to the practice field on Monday, but the three other injured cornerbacks remain sidelined as Curtis Brown (ankle), Cortez Allen (knee) and DeMarcus Van Dyke (hamstring) are not practicing, according to a few media reports on Twitter.

Allen, who had minor knee surgery over a week ago, is not expected to practice for at least a few more weeks as the primary focus is to have him back healthy for the season opener. Van Dyke and Brown are likely day-to-day at this point.


(steelersdepot.com)

Erica A. Hernandez- Sun Sentinel

Frank Gore, at 5 feet 9, isn’t the tallest player in the NFL, but he had a few feet on the people he was surrounded by at the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center.

The former Miami Hurricane walked in the front door Tuesday decked out in his black and red San Francisco 49ers gear and made his way through the summer campers to the back of the center, where Bommarito Performance Systems (BPS) is housed.

On the artificial turf, Gore was more at home amongst his own. The 30-year-old running back joined a group of about 10 other running backs and 30 other NFL players for the start of training.

“This is a good sports complex that has everything that we need,” said owner Pete Bommarito. “But we really like the community they’ve built within this Jewish community center.”

Bommarito started his company in 2004 after working at the IMG Sports Academy in Bradenton. The center has two locations, one in Davie and the main location in North Miami Beach within the Jewish Community Center. Bommarito says most players attend training at the Miami Beach location because it’s bigger and centrally located.

With about 75 employees at both locations, BPS helps athletes with training in footwork, strength endurance, power, agility, movement, position work and aquatics. The center also offers nutritional guidance from a private chef, physical therapy, massage therapy, chiropractics and Pilates and yoga classes.

The company also has programs for youths, high school and college athletes. Most recently, BPS hosted and trained Plantation’s Sloane Stephens before her Wimbledon outing.

It’s the center’s NFL draft prep that Bommarito credits with drawing NFL players back for year-round training. It’s what drew Gore to Bommarito after graduating from Miami. Gore went through Bommarito’s draft prep before being drafted by San Francisco in 2005.

“I look like I’m in shape, right?” Gore asked with a chuckle. “I feel great, I feel good … and I’m the oldest one out here now.”

Gore is part of a large group of running backs who turn to BPS in addition to their training regimen. Running backs Maurice Jones-Drew (Jaguars), Jonathan Dwyer and Le’Veon Bell (Steelers), Rashad Jennings (Raiders), Andre Brown (Giants), Isaiah Pead (Rams), Ahmad Bradshaw (Colts), Ben Tate (Texans), Giovanni Bernard (Bengals), Jonathan Stewart (Panthers), Mikel Leshoure (Lions) and Lamar Miller (Dolphins) are all a part of this summer’s crew.

“Seeing all the guys I compete against, a young batch, I can compare my speed and my quickness against their quickness. It lets me know that I’ve got a lot more left in my tank,” Gore said.

“Pete is a good guy, he’s helped me out a lot,” Gore said. “I like coming out here to compete and see other top guys who have been successful in the league. I can compare my talent to their talent to get me ready for the season.”

Besides the running backs, BPS sees its fair share of former Hurricane players.

Along with Gore and Miller, former Hurricane and current Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke was one of the first players out on the turf Tuesday. He was joined by his cousin, David Van Dyke, a Tennessee State University defensive back and Booker T. Washington graduate.

“It’s legit, it’s always high intensity with Pete,” DeMarcus Van Dyke said. “It’s the best of both worlds training down here: I’ve got my family, the great weather and the beaches.”

Like Gore, it was Bommarito’s draft prep that brought Van Dyke to the center in 2011.

Bommarito Performance has trained more than 200 NFL players.

In the weeks before NFL training camps officially start, Bommarito had almost the entire Baltimore Ravens team out on the turf and in the weight rooms of the community center. The team departed from Miami at the beginning of the second week in July to attend longtime Bommarito trainee Torrey Smith’s wedding on July 11.


(sun-sentinel.com)

Last year, DeMarcus Van Dyke joined the Pittsburgh Steelers after being cut by the Oakland Raiders. Van Dyke was drafted by the Raiders in 2011, mostly as a result of his phenomenal forty yard dash time, which clocked in at 4.28, a time that was tops in his draft class. In his brief time with the Raiders, he earned playing time in 14 games and started four, recording one interception and one fumble recovery on special teams, but the downtrodden organization felt that his play contributed to an awful pass defense that surrendered 251 passing yards per game. Surprisingly, the team believed that Van Dyke didn’t have the ability to improve his game and become a better player in their system, and hastily, they cut him.

And for the Steelers, they are hoping that what was the Raiders trash is their treasure.

Last season, when asked about the signing of Van Dyke, Mike Tomlin said that the Steelers had their eye on him in the player evaluation process and that “he’s got big time upside, he’s an extremely fast guy.” He continued by saying that Van Dyke would be a project that the Steelers would develop to see “if maybe he can help us at some point.”

It would be fortuitous if Van Dyke could help this year.

Upon joining the Steelers last season, Van Dyke dressed for nine games, primarily getting work on special teams, and early on, after his downing of a punt on the one yard line in the season opener against the Denver Broncos, there was optimism that he could be a solid contributor. However, as the season progressed, Van Dyke became a repeat offender for penalties, especially holding on return units, drawing the ire of Tomlin who threatened to bench him if his error-prone play continued. Unfortunately it did.

Despite his gaffes, Van Dyke potential cannot be ignored.

The Steelers are hoping that he can become more consistent in 2013 and be a reliable contributor on special teams, and possibly, provide for quality depth at the cornerback position in the event of an injury. And there is no reason why that isn’t a realistic possibility, being that Van Dyke did not have the opportunity to work through the offseason program with the team.

Heading into the new season, Van Dyke, who was reported to begin working with Ike Taylor and training-guru, Tom Shaw, will have the opportunity to fully adapt to the terminology and schemes of the defense and special teams. If his speed can be harnessed productively and effectively by the coaching staff, he could make a case for himself in 2013.

But Van Dyke will not be without competition, and if he is to make the roster, he will have to have an outstanding training camp. As Dave Bryan pointed out back in May, Van Dyke is facing a “make-or-break” training camp and that “with the Steelers brining back William Gay during the offseason, and the drafting of Illinois cornerback Terry Hawthorne… [these moves may] hamper his chances at making the 53 man roster this year out of training camp.”

Van Dyke’s progress will be a mini-story line worth following in Latrobe in a couple of weeks.


(steelersdepot.com)

Steelers cornerbacks are typically prototypically built; long, muscular, strong and athletic. They're not blazers in terms of speed, but they run well, and they aren't afraid to hit.

While neither Isaiah Greene nor Demarcus Van Dyke fit that mold, their freakish speed make them two of the more intriguing cornerback prospects the Steelers have had in camp recently.

Van Dyke, a roster acquisition after his release from the Raiders last season, showed that sprinter's speed in covering punts last season before a string of penalties landed him in the doghouse. Speed for the dollar is a great weapon to have, if a player's main goal is to get an invite to training camp.

How much will it help boost Van Dyke's chances of making the roster this year? The Steelers brought in at least one other sprinter-turned-cornerback, Green, who spent time with the Bills and Colts last season before ending up on the Steelers' offseason roster.

Neither look at all like prototypical Steelers cornerbacks. But punt gunners? It's tempting.

That long speed, coupled with the technique of breaking off a block or two at the line and get down the field fast enough to force a fair catch is valuable to any team. And every team is looking for that kind of a player. Their main question is going to be position flexibility. Can either one of them defend anyone on defense?

The Steelers may not keep both of them, but it wouldn't be surprising to see the Steelers keep one at the expense of the other for the sake of special teams.


(behindthesteelcurtain.com)

On Monday, we took a look at cornerback Josh Victorian, who will be battling to make the Pittsburgh Steelers 53 man roster out of training camp this year and today we will look at cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke, who figures to be competing against Victorian for that same roster spot.

Van Dyke, who was drafted in the third round of the 2011 draft by the Oakland Raiders, did not arrive in Pittsburgh until right before the 2012 season started as he was waived by the team that drafted him during their final roster cut down. Right after the Steelers signed him, head coach Mike Tomlin was asked about his newest player prior to the season opener against the Denver Broncos.

"We were interested in this young man when he came out in the draft in 2011," said Tomlin about Van Dyke. "Obviously, we ended up with Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen, but he was within that group and in that range from a grading standpoint. I was at his pro day. He’s got big-time upside, he’s an extremely fast guy. It was an opportunity for us to put a young cornerback in the mix and continue to work with him and develop his skill and see if maybe he can help us at some point."

Despite being new to the team, Van Dyke dressed for the Steelers season opener against the Broncos and played on special teams. He managed to get himself noticed on the Steelers second punt of that game, however, when he downed a Drew Butler punt at the Broncos one yard-line.

The following week against the New York Jets, Van Dyke again made his presence felt on special teams when he used his speed in the third quarter to race downfield on a punt that resulted in Jets return man Jeremy Kerley muffing the catch with him in his face and Steelers safety Ryan Mundy recovering the loose football. Little did we know it that time, that that would be pretty much it for Van Dyke's positive contributions for the remainder of the season.

Over the course of the next four games, Van Dyke became a liability on special teams as he racked up five penalties during that span. On four occasions he was flagged for holding and one other time he was flagged for running out of bounds while covering a punt. As a result of the penalties, Tomlin made an example out of Van Dyke as he chose to dress him only once over the course of the next six games.

If not for the late season injuries in the Steelers secondary, Van Dyke more than likely wouldn't have dressed for the remainder of the season. However, when starting cornerback Ike Taylor fractured his ankle in the Week 13 game against the Baltimore Ravens, Van Dyke found himself back in uniform playing on special teams the following week against the San Diego Chargers.

With both Taylor and Cortez Allen out injured the following week against the Dallas Cowboys, it looked as if Van Dyke might actually be in line for his first defensive snaps of the season, but a separated shoulder suffered covering the game's first punt resulted in him being out of the game and the remainder of the season as a result.

Van Dyke has long since had his injured shoulder surgically repaired and he will presumably will be ready for the upcoming OTA sessions. However, the incompetence that he showed last season on special teams combined with the Steelers bringing back William Gay during the offseason, and the drafting Illinois cornerback Terry Hawthorne just last month, will severely hamper his chances at making the 53 man roster this year out of training camp.

Should Van Dyke fail to make the final cut, his time in Pittsburgh will be up as he no longer has practice squad eligibly.


(steelersdepot.com)

In a not-so-surprising move, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke has signed his one-year exclusive tender of $555,000.

Exclusive rights free agents have no choice but to sign their tenders as they can't negotiate with other teams.

Van Dyke was signed last year by the Steelers after clearing waivers just prior to the start of the regular season after being waived by the Oakland Raiders.
The fastest man at the 2011 NFL combine was originally drafted by the Raiders in the 3rd round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

Van Dyke only saw time on special teams last year for the Steelers and became a liability in that area as he was penalized five times in total. Those penalties led to him being benched temporarily by head coach Mike Tomlin as a result.

Van Dyke ended the season on injured reserve after he suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery in the Week 15 game against the Dallas Cowboys.He figures to compete for a spot on the 53 man roster during training camp.


(steelersdepot.com)

Thank you to Harry Rothwell @mrallcanes for sending us this photo of proCanes: Lamar Miller Dolphins, DeMarcus Van Dyke Steelers, Allen Bailey Chiefs, Sean Spence Steelers, Travis Benjamin Browns, Brandon Harris Texans.

Steelers CB Demarcus Van Dyke required reconstructive surgery on his shoulder after his Week 14 injury.
Signed just after the start of the season after being waived by Oakland, Van Dyke appeared in nine games with Pittsburgh as primarily a special teamer and deep-reserve corner. He's scheduled for exclusive rights free agency and will compete for a roster spot in 2013 training camp if tendered by the club.


(rotoworld.com)