Steelers add 8 to practice squad, including 3 wide receivers

Three days after cutting down to the regular-season roster limit of 53, two days after hundreds of players cleared waivers and one day after their quest to acquire star receiver Brandon Aiyuk officially fell short, the Pittsburgh Steelers filled all of their available slots on the practice squad.

Included among the eight signings announced Friday were three receivers, Brandon Johnson, Quez Watkins and Ben Skowronek. With only five receivers on the active roster, it’s possible one or all three at some point earn a promotion for gameday.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Johnson appeared in 20 games over the past two seasons with the Denver Broncos, the team for which current Steelers starting quarterback Russell Wilson played. Five of Johnson’s 25 career catches have been touchdowns.

Skowronek (6-3, 224) has 58 receptions for 575 yards over 45 games (12 starts) with the Los Angeles Rams since entering the league as a seventh-round pick. He had two receptions during a Super Bowl LVI win. Some Pittsburgh fans might remember Skowronek for having two long touchdown receptions while playing for Notre Dame during a win at Pitt in 2020.

Have a running "joke" that the #Steelers draft guys that go off against Pitt. (i.e. Artie Burns, Mason Rudolph, James Washington, Jaylen Samuels..to name a few)

Ben Skowronek is a grad transfer: Northwestern ➡️ ND

6'3" 224 lbs

2020 vs Pitt - 2 rec - 107 yds - 53.5 ypc - 2 TDs https://t.co/Yfh0BEbQr0 pic.twitter.com/VsXS7B97Cu

— Tyler Wise (@TriggeredWise) March 29, 2021

Watkins, who is entering his fifth NFL season, spent the preseason with the Steelers. He played the past four seasons with the Eagles, and caught 43 passes for 647 yards in 2021.

Aiyuk agreed to a four-year contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, ending chances of a trade to the Steelers.

Also added to the Steelers practice squad Friday were versatile offensive lineman John Leglue, tackle Doug Nester, inside linebacker Devin Harper, outside linebacker Adetokunbo Ogundeji and running back Boston Scott.

Nester (6-7, 319) is a rookie from West Virginia who started 52 games next to Steelers rookie starting center Zach Frazier. A four-year starter at guard, Nester was the Mountaineers’ right tackle last season and during this preseason with the Minnesota Vikings.

Aside from Nester, all of Friday’s signings have NFL regular-season experience. Leglue made six starts (including the playoffs) at left guard for the 2021 Steelers, but he can play any position on the line.

There aren’t many players on the #Steelers roster who have shown there’s more they can do than John Leglue.@C_AdamskiTribhttps://t.co/IINNHx4nLb

— Tribune-Review Sports (@TribSports) June 24, 2022

Four of the Steelers’ top 10 offensive linemen are, to varying degrees, injured.

Scott has 1,415 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns in 83 games (including playoffs) for the Philadelphia Eagles over the past six seasons.

A sixth-round pick of Dallas in 2022, Harper (6-0, 238) has 12 regular-season games of NFL experience.

Ogundeji has not played since 2022 because of a foot injury last year. The 6-4, 268 Ogundeji was a starter his first two NFL seasons after the Atlanta Falcons drafted him in the fifth round out of Notre Dame in 2021.

The Steelers on Thursday announced the filling of eight of 16 available practice-squad spots.