The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to make a few transactions by Saturday at 4 p.m. EST and those moves will likely include running back Trey Edmunds and quarterback Paxton Lynch being promoted to the 53-man roster from the team’s practice squad.
According to Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, guard Fred Johnson and outside linebacker Jayrone Elliott both said on Friday that they’ve been told by the Steelers that they are being put on waivers. They were reportedly told that a running back and quarterback will replace them on the Steelers 53-man active roster.
Running back Trey Edmunds and quarterback Paxton Lynch are the two players now expected to be promoted from the practice squad by Saturday evening to take the spots of Johnson and Elliott. Edmunds is needed due to running back Jaylen Samuels being sidelined with a knee injury while Lynch is needed due to quarterback Mason Rudolph still working back from the concussion he sustained last Sunday in the team’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Assuming these moves are ultimately made official, it will likely result in rookie quarterback Devlin Hodges making his first career start Sunday night against the Chargers with Lynch serving as his backup. There’s also now a good chance that outside linebacker Anthony Chickillo will play Sunday night after being sidelined since Week 2 with a foot injury.
Johnson, who made the Steelers initial 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Florida, has reportedly been told by the team that they hope to bring him back soon if he clears waivers. Elliott, who has been around the league for several seasons, reportedly has been told the same. It will be interesting to see if Johnson ultimately clears waivers because he might be in demand with six weeks of the season being over with come Monday night.
Johnson has yet to dress for a game this season while Elliott has seen action in three games.
UPDATE: These moves have now been made by the Steelers.
