There’s one other minor transaction to pass along for the Pittsburgh Steelers on this Monday and it’s related to a player reverting to the team’s Reserve/Injured list after being waived as injured on Sunday.
Clearing waivers on Monday and now on the Steelers’ Reserve/Injured list is inside linebacker Chapelle Russell, who suffered a knee injury during the team’s Friday night preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Russell should now be listed with a split salary of $500,000 as we wait and see if the team works out an injury settlement with him in the next week. If it’s a serious knee injury that requires a long rehab, he might be on the Reserve/Injured list for a while.
After spending time last summer with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Russell ultimately landed on the Steelers’ practice squad at the start of the 2022 regular season. He was also able to stick on the practice squad for the entire 2022 season. The Steelers signed him to a Reserve/Future contract right after the 2022 season ended.
For his NFL career, Russell has played in 27 regular-season games with one start. He has recorded 18 total tackles and has played 95 defensive snaps and 407 special teams snaps. His last NFL playing time came during the 2021 season with the Jaguars. It’s worth noting that he did have four total special teams tackles that season.
Russell originally entered the NFL in 2020 as a seventh-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Russell played just six snaps on special teams Friday night before injuring his knee. He was credited with one special teams tackle in that contest.
The Steelers now have six players on their Reserve/Injured list with split salaries. That list includes, Russell, cornerback Duke Dawson, wide receiver Ja’Marcus Bradley, running back Alfonzo Graham, cornerback Cory Trice Jr., and defensive end Renell Wren. Players still on the Reserve/Injured come Week One of the regular season will count against the team’s salary cap number.
