Steelers Sign 7 Players to Practice Squad

The Pittsburgh Steelers seemed to be in no rush to fill out their practice squad, lagging behind while teams rushed to fill out their 16 slots.

On Thursday, the Steelers would sign the first eight members of their practice squad. Friday saw them come close to completing it.

Pittsburgh announced seven additional signings, leaving one spot remaining.

Friday’s signings are as follows:

• Running Back Boston Scott
• Receiver Brandon Johnson
• Receiver Ben Skowronek
• Offensive Lineman John Leglue
• Offensive Lineman Doug Nester
• Linebacker Devin Harper
• Linebacker Adetokunbo Ogundeji

Bringing in two offensive linemen feels notable given the recent news surrounding guard Isaac Seumalo .

However, the signing with the closest proximity to playing time is Skowronek. A Super Bowl champion with the Los Angeles Rams, Skowronek has experience playing minor roles in both passing attacks and ground games, showcasing an innate willingness to get his hands dirty.

He’s a mediocre receiver – not disqualifying given the talent in the receiver room – posting 58 catches for 575 yards and a touchdown across three seasons in Los Angeles. But where he earned his playing time was as a blocker. Rams head coach Sean McVay made him a versatile chess piece, plugging him in out wide, in the slot, in-line, and even in the backfield, creating a mismatch opportunity at fullback.

Related: Steelers Sign 8 Players to Practice Squad

Skowronek is the type of blocker offensive coordinator Arthur Smith can fall in love with and can provide special teams value, too. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him earning a bigger role on Sundays sometime soon.