Steelers call up WR Steven Sims from practice squad for game vs. Lions

Chris Adamski | Saturday, November 13, 2021 4:07 p.m.

Steven Sims makes a touchdown catch while playing for the Washington Football Team during a playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January. Sims was called up from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad to play in Sunday’s home game against the Detroit Lions.

Down another wide receiver because of injury, the Pittsburgh Steelers turned to their practice squad for reinforcement at the position.

Three-year veteran Steven Sims was elevated to the roster for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions, the team announced Saturday. Sims had 61 catches and five touchdowns over the past two seasons for Washington.

Already without JuJu Smith-Schuster after season-ending shoulder surgery last month, the Steelers are also without Chase Claypool against the Lions because of a toe injury. That left a depth chart of Diontae Johnson and James Washington as proven commodities at wide receiver with return specialist Ray-Ray McCloud and unproven Cody White (two career catches) as the only other options.

While turning to the practice squad, the Steelers chose Sims over Anthony Miller, a four-year NFL veteran who played in two games for the Houston Texans in September. Both are slot specialists; the Steelers never replaced that role in the offense after the loss of Smith-Schuster.

Undrafted in 2019 out of Kansas, the 5-foot-10, 176-pound Sims had 24 of his 27 catches in 2020 come while running out of the slot.

In rules put in place beginning last season, NFL teams can call up up to two players from their practice squad for each game. He would then revert back to the practice squad after the game, and players are permitted a maximum of two call-ups per season before they must be permanently added to the 53-man roster.

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