Category: Steelers roster transactions

Report: Steelers to sign ex-Ravens QB Trace McSorley to practice squad

The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to sign former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Trace McSorley to their practice squad.

Shortly after Mike Tomlin ended his press conference stating he’d explore options to add a quarterback, they did just that.

The Steelers are signing free agent Trace McSorley to their practice squad, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter,

McSorley has appeared in nine games since the Baltimore Ravens selected him in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft. In that span, he’s thrown for 79 yards, no touchdowns, five interceptions and has fumbled twice. He had the first start of his career in 2022 for the Arizona Cardinals.

Expect McSorley to be added to the 53-man roster but inactive (as the emergency QB) when the Steelers take on the New England Patriots on Thursday.

Mitch Trubisky will start in place of the injured Kenny Pickett, who had surgery on his high-ankle sprain this morning.

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Steelers signing alleged Pokémon scammer to 53-man roster

The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing NFL journeyman Blake Martinez to their 53-man roster.

Firings aren’t the only things the Pittsburgh Steelers are up to today. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, they’re signing journeyman linebacker Blake Martinez to their active roster.

He’s not so well-known for his playmaking ability as he is for an alleged Pokémon card scam involving his company. Martinez retired from the league last fall to focus on his collectibles business.

A fourth-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in 2016, Martinez, 29, spent his first four seasons with the club. That run was productive enough to earn a three-year, $30 million free agent deal with the Giants in 2020. He was released during cutdowns in 2022 and then appeared in four games with the Raiders before retiring to sell rare Pokémon cards. After the scam allegations surfaced, Martinez returned to the NFL and was most recently on the Carolina Panthers practice squad, which is where the Steelers are plucking him from.

In 84 games (78 starts), Martinez has logged 13 sacks, four interceptions, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 18 quarterback hits and 22 passes defended.

Steelers LB Kwon Alexander among Pittsburgh’s early-week roster moves

Kwon Alexander’s season ended before he really had a chance to show his full potential in the Black and Gold. 

Kwon Alexander’s season ended before he really had a chance to show his full potential in the Black and Gold.

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced on Tuesday that the 10-year veteran linebacker, who suffered a torn Achilles against the Green Bay Packers, had been placed on injured reserve.

In nine games (two starts), Alexander contributed 41 tackles (five for loss), two quarterback hits, a pass defended, one forced fumble and a sack. His crucial interception against the Tennessee Titans sealed the game.

The Steelers also made a couple of practice squad moves, signaling further additions will be made this week. Guard Joey Fisher and tight end Scotty Washington were released. Defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko was released on Monday.

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Pittsburgh Steelers release DT Breiden Fehoko

This is the start of what could be a very active week for the Steelers.

In what could be a very busy week of roster moves, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced the release of defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko.

Fehoko was signed by the Steelers in April, released on cutdown day, and then resigned. He started the season on the practice squad but was promoted to the 53-man roster for one game on Sept. 20.

He spent three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2020.

Given the play of Montravius Adams and rookie Keeanu Benton, Fehoko was the odd man out. Adams missed the Packers game with an ankle injury but must be trending upward.

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Pittsburgh Steelers make two early-week roster moves

Cole Holcomb is heading to IR, while Anthony McFarland comes off.

It was something we all knew Thursday night the moment Cole Holcomb exited the field at Acrisure via medical cart. The Pittsburgh Steelers confirmed today that Holcomb is on injured reserve with a knee injury, ending his first season in the Black and Gold.

Though the extent of the injury is unknown, he is expected to make a full recovery, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Mike Tomlin could shed some light on the situation in his Tuesday presser.

Pittsburgh cleaned inside linebacker house in the offseason and brought Holcomb in on a three-year deal as part of the rebuild. He emerged as the team’s top inside linebacker, having recorded 59 tackles, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

Other offseason additions, Kwon Alexander and Elandon Roberts, will have increased roles. Roberts started all games but one — versus the Las Vegas Raiders — when Alexander had his only start. Second-year linebacker Mark Robinson, a 2022 seventh-round draft pick, could also see some time, but the team will likely add another free agent.

Running back Anthony McFarland, who’d been on injured reserve since injuring his knee in Week 2, was activated. He was designated to return on Oct. 16 and has been a full practice participant since.

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Steelers announce practice squad moves at linebacker

The Steelers made a practice squad move today, signing former Falcons LB Mykal Walker, releasing Caleb Johnson.

Caleb Johnson, we hardly knew ya. The Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad linebacker was given his walking papers as the team brought in former Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears defender Mykal Walker.

Selected by Atlanta in the 2020 NFL draft, he spent three seasons with the team. In 49 games (20 starts), Walker recorded 187 tackles, 11 passes defended, two forced fumbles, a sack and a fumble recovery. He also had three interceptions, one a pick-six.

The Fresno State product most recently spent time on the Chicago Bears and Las Vegas Raiders practice squad.

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Pittsburgh Steelers announce multiple roster moves

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced a handful of roster moves on the practice squad today.

On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced a handful of roster moves on the practice squad. Pittsburgh signed linebacker Caleb Johnson and tight end Scotty Washington to the practice squad. To make room on the practice squad, the Steelers released offensive lineman Obinna Eze and tight end Noah Gindorff.

Johnson, originally signed by the New York Jets as a UDFA, started his college career at UCLA before transferring to the University of Miami. He played in 12 games (four starts) in 2022 for the Hurricanes in 2022, finishing the season with 48 total tackles (four for loss), 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. In two seasons at UCLA, he recorded 89 tackles, 5.5 sacks and two interceptions.

Washington joined the Cincinnati Bengals as a UDFA in 2020, where he spent time on the practice squad. He made his NFL debut in 2022 afer being elevated to the active roster to play against his former team as part of the New England Patriots.

The Wake Forest product played in 43 games (25 starts), recording 110 receptions for 1,676 yards and 13 touchdowns.

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Steelers activate Diontae Johnson, send Pat Freiermuth to IR

Steelers swap stars on injured reserve list.

Good news and bad for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bad news first: Pat Freiermuth landed on injured reserve after re-aggravating his hamstring in practice on Friday. Good news: Diontae Johnson was activated from injured reserve and is expected to play on Sunday.

Offensively, Freiermuth was responsible for half the team’s touchdowns. He scored two of their five, while George Pickens had the other two. T.J. Watt had a scoop and score versus the Cleveland Browns in Week 2.

Johnson, still under the cloud of not scoring a touchdown since the 2021 season, will be expected to pick up the slack.

Freiermuth, who was excited about returning to play earlier this week, is the third Steeler out for multiple games with a hamstring. Johnson and running back Anthony McFarland suffered long-term hamstring injuries in Week 1. While he’s been designated to return, McFarland remains on injured reserve. He must be activated by November 5 or be out for the season but was a full practice participant on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

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Report: Steelers to sign rookie CB Darius Rush off Chiefs’ practice squad

The Steelers’ secondary is terrible, and the hope is that shuffling things around will change things.

There’s no sugarcoating it. The Pittsburgh Steelers‘ secondary is terrible, and the hope is that shuffling things around will change things. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported two future moves: Cornerback Desmond King is to be cut or traded, and rookie Darius Rush signed from the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad.

The 6-foot-2 Rush, claimed off waivers by the Chiefs after the Indianapolis Colts cut him on August 30, has never played a single regular season down in the NFL.

Rush turned heads at the NFL Combine with his blazing-fast 4.36 40-yard time, which was good for T-4. Also on the list were soon-to-be Steelers corners Joey Porter Jr. (T-10, 4.46) and Cory Trice Jr. (T-11, 4.47).

In his final two seasons at South Carolina, Rush logged three interceptions, 15 pass breakups, one sack and a forced fumble.

Pittsburgh had an interest in Rush leading up to the NFL draft, hosting him on a top-30 visit, so signing him should come as no surprise.

Pittsburgh’s defense enters Sunday’s battle with the 3-3 Los Angeles Rams ranked 25th in passing yards (245 passing yards per game, 271 in the last three matchups, 302 on the road) and touchdowns allowed through six weeks. Eight of their opponents’ 11 touchdowns have come through the air.

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Report: Steelers CB Desmond King on his way out of Pittsburgh

We hardly knew ya, Desmond King.

Desmond King posted to X, “WELP ONTO THE NEXT,” and moments later, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero added some context behind the tweet: The Pittsburgh Steelers would release the cornerback if a trade couldn’t be arranged.

Pittsburgh signed King, a 2017 fifth-round pick by the Chargers, in August after he was cut from the Houston Texans.

Despite the Steelers’ secondary being one of the worst in the NFL, the sole defensive snap King managed was a touchdown to Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill in Week 5. He was primarily used for kick returns, on which he had four for 88 yards. With Anthony McFarland’s expected return to the 53-man roster, King’s services are no longer needed.

Once the Steelers activate McFarland from injured reserve, a corresponding roster move will be necessary.

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