The Pittsburgh Steelers made a roster move this week that turned a few heads, parting ways with nose tackle Brodric Martin-Rhodes - and it didn’t take long for another team to scoop him up. The Las Vegas Raiders claimed the 26-year-old off waivers, giving the former third-round pick a new shot at proving he belongs in an NFL rotation.
Martin-Rhodes, who was originally drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2023, has had a winding road through the league in just two seasons. After his stint in Detroit ended, he landed with the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad in August. Pittsburgh brought him in hoping to bolster their depth up front, but ultimately, he was the odd man out when the Steelers needed to make room for outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon.
The decision came down to competition. Martin-Rhodes was in the mix, but Logan Lee and Esezi Otomewo began to carve out more meaningful roles in the Steelers’ defensive line rotation.
Pittsburgh liked what they were seeing from those two - enough to move on from a player who, on paper, checks a lot of their boxes. Martin-Rhodes is a massive presence at 6-foot-4 and 337 pounds, the kind of size the Steelers typically value in their interior defenders.
But in the end, potential wasn’t enough to keep him on the active roster.
Now, he heads to Las Vegas, where the opportunity might be a bit more immediate. The Raiders have been dealing with depth issues at defensive tackle all season, and Martin-Rhodes could find himself in the mix sooner rather than later.
With just four career tackles to his name, he hasn’t had much of a chance to show what he can do in live action. But with a few games left in the season, the window is open for him to make an impression.
This also marks an interesting fit in Pete Carroll’s defensive system. While Carroll is still getting his footing in Las Vegas, the defensive front has been a clear area of need. Martin-Rhodes brings size and raw strength, and if he can find consistency, he could carve out a rotational role down the stretch.
For Pittsburgh, it’s a calculated move - betting on younger, ascending players like Lee and Otomewo to step up. For Martin-Rhodes, it’s another fresh start, and perhaps his best chance yet to stick on an active roster.