The Pittsburgh Steelers are ringing in the new year with a couple of practice squad moves, activating NT Isaiah Buggs and S Karl Joseph from the Reserve/COVID list, the team announced moments ago. Buggs will return to the team’s 53-man roster while Joseph will remain on the practice squad.
The team also signed LB Tegray Scales off the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad.
Buggs was placed on the COVID list December 23rd while Joseph was placed there December 27th. Buggs became the team’s starting nose tackle five quarters into the year when Tyson Alualu was lost with an ankle fracture. But he’s struggled with consistency, leading him to become a healthy scratch several weeks ago. In addition to testing positive for COVID, he also dealt with an ankle injury in December.
Joseph was signed to the Steelers’ practice squad shortly before Week 1. He’s appeared in just two games for the team, logging 17 combined defensive snaps.
Scales reunites with the team after being part of the Steelers in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. He saw a cup of coffee for Pittsburgh in 2020, playing on special teams from Week 14-17 and even picking up three snaps on defense. With Devin Bush and Joe Schobert still on the COVID list and Buddy Johnson dealing with a foot injury, depth at inside linebacker is thin. It’s certainly possible Scales becomes a practice squad elevation for Monday night’s game against the Cleveland Browns.
The Steelers now have ten players still on the Reserve/COVID list: OT Zach Banner, LB Devin Bush, CB Arthur Maulet, RB Anthony McFarland, LB Joe Schobert, DL Chris Wormley, DL Daniel Archibong, and WRs Anthony Miller, Steven Sims, and Tyler Vaughns.
