Browns sign recently-released Steelers WR Ryan Switzer to their practice squad

Chris Adamski
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020 9:46 a.m. | Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020 9:46 a.m.

Ryan Switzer, shown during a Pittsburgh Steelers training-camp practice at Heinz Field in August. After two seasons with the team, the Steelers released Switzer before the start of the regular season. He was signed to the practice squad of the Cleveland Browns on Thursday.

Ryan Switzer has found a new NFL home, and it’s as close to Pittsburgh as you can get.

Released by the Pittsburgh Steelers in their final preseason roster cuts, Switzer was signed to the practice squad of the Cleveland Browns on Thursday.

Switzer spent the past two seasons as a slot receiver for the Steelers. He was acquired during the waning days of the 2018 preseason in an exchange of late-round draft picks with the Oakland Raiders. A college star at North Carolina, Switzer was a 2017 fourth-round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys and served as their kick and punt returner, playing all 16 games as a rookie.

The 5-foot-8, 185-pound Switzer’s best pro season was 2018. Earning the trust of Steelers franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Switzer played more than a quarter of the Steelers’ offensive snaps that season and had 36 receptions, 274 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown.

Switzer also returned kicks and punts for the Steelers but rarely broke any big returns. Last season, he had paltry averages of 3.6 yards on punts and 18.4 on kickoffs and was replaced for both of those duties before going on injured reserve in November because of a back injury.

Switzer finished last season with only eight catches for 27 yards.

When the Steelers got down to the limit Saturday afternoon, they did so by releasing 352-pound nose tackle Daniel McCullers and 5-foot-8, 185-pound slot receiver/return specialist Ryan Switzer. https://t.co/mxCUumqKnE

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) September 6, 2020

The late-offseason signing of return specialist and slot receiver Ray-Ray McCloud ultimately did in Switzer’s chances of making the Steelers in 2020.

NFL practice squads have expanded this season under the new collective bargaining agreement, allowing more veteran players to occupy spots. Also, in 2020 teams can “call up” practice-squad players to participate in games.

The Steelers host the Browns on Oct. 18.

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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.