The Pittsburgh Steelers announced today that they have signed 10 players to reserve/future contracts. Wide receiver JaMarcus Bradley, defensive back Duke Dawson, guard William Dunkle, linebacker Emeke Egbule, Running back Jason Huntley, center Ryan McCollum, safety Scott Nelson, running back Master Teague, wide receiver Cody White and tight end Rodney Williams were all signed.
Each player the Steelers signed spent time on Pittsburgh’s practice squad in 2022, with White seeing NFL action this season as well. He had one reception for two yards on Monday Night Football against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12, and he is also the player who has spent the most time in the Pittsburgh organization. For the other nine players, it’s their first year in the Steelers organization.
Both Dunkle and McCollum were signed during training camp, and McCollum was initially signed to the practice squad before being cut on September 30 to add Mark Gilbert. He was brought back on October 4. Dunkle has spent the whole year on the practice squad after being released during initial 53-man roster cutdowns.
Huntley and Nelson have had multiple stints on the practice squad this season. Teague was signed to the practice squad along with Bradley on November 23 after spending training camp with the Steelers but was released on December 7 to make room for Egbule. Huntley was signed to the practice squad on September 2nd, released on October 12 (to make room for Dawson) but brought back less than a week later on October 18. Dawson, a former second-round pick of the New England Patriots, was signed to Pittsburgh’s practice squad on October 12 as the team dealt with a plethora of injuries in their secondary.
Williams was signed to the practice squad on September 13. The tight end is a converted wide receiver out of the University of Tennessee-Martin, and his RAS (Relative Athletic Score) of 8.87 was among the best for tight ends since 1987.
Nelson rejoined the Steelers on December 27 after originally being signed on October 4. He was cut on October 22 but circled back to Pittsburgh a few months later. Egbule signed with the Steelers just days after being selected in the XFL Draft, as the former Los Angeles Chargers linebacker joined the Black and Gold on December 7. The 2019 sixth-round pick has played in 32 career NFL games with 13 tackles.
It remains to be seen what reserve/future signings outside the organization Pittsburgh will make. They hosted seven players for workouts, including four long snappers and some Canadian Football League talent, on December 6. Those are names to watch that the Steelers could potentially add on a futures deal.
Seven players on Pittsburgh’s year-end practice squad did not get a reserve/futures contract. Those players are running back Anthony McFarland Jr., cornerback Mark Gilbert, outside linebacker Chapelle Russell, defensive lineman Carlos Davis, offensive lineman John Leglue, defensive lineman Rennell Wren and outside linebacker Mika Tafua.
