The Pittsburgh Steelers have made several roster moves Thursday. Most notably, they have placed DL Cam Heyward on injured reserve due to the groin injury he suffered in last Sunday’s opener against the San Francisco 49ers. He will miss at least the next four games but reports indicate he’ll miss upwards of two months, putting him on track to return in late November.
In addition to Heyward landing on IR, the team signed WR Dez Fitzpatrick from its practice squad to the 53-man roster. They also signed CB Luq Barcoo and RB Greg Bell to their practice squad. In a final move, they released CB Anthony Brown and placed CB Josiah Scott on the practice squad/injured list.
Heyward was injured in the first half of Sunday’s loss. Twice, he tried to come back to the game but lasted just one play before being pulled off the field each time. Reportedly, it’s a core muscle injury that requires surgery. According to the NFL Network, Heyward underwent surgery today.
Fitzpatrick will take Heyward’s place on the 53-man roster. He was signed to the Steeler’s offseason roster in January. In his 90 in 30 series, Dave Bryan summarized Fitzpatrick’s path to Pittsburgh.
“After being selected in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans out of Louisville, Fitzpatrick has only seen extremely limited playing time in the NFL in his first two seasons. To date, he has logged just 104 offensive snaps since being drafted and nine more on special teams. He has just five total receptions for 49 yards on eight total targets since 2021. Most of his two NFL seasons have been spent on the practice squad of the Titans. The Steelers signed Fitzpatrick to a Reserve/Future contract back in January.”
Stuck low on the Steelers’ receiver depth chart, Fitzpatrick worked his way up the ladder throughout training camp. He impressed in practices with his consistency and availability, not missing a day of camp, and showcasing solid route running and the ability to get open. Though quiet inside stadiums as a receiver, he shined on the punt team as a gunner, twice pinning the ball deep in the red zone.
In our post-camp recap, we noted his overall strong performance, giving him a “B” grade for the summer. And that came one day prior to the team’s preseason finale where he again impressed.
“He lacks great size but is a solid athlete and fluid route runner with change-of-direction ability and can stem at the top of his route to create space. He practiced every day, caught a hearty 20 receptions without dropping anything, and though he mostly did his damage underneath, (a 9.9 YPC) he also scored three times. Fitzpatrick just brings a well-rounded game.
Inside stadiums, his play at wide receiver wasn’t incredibly notable but he had a great tackle as a gunner on the punt team against the Bills, defeating his block and pinning Buffalo deep into their own territory. With injuries to Cody White and Hakeem Butler, there’s a serious practice squad opportunity opening up on the practice squad. He’s earned the chance to stick.”
He wasn’t among the six receivers the team initially kept on the Steelers’ 53-man roster but after clearing waivers, Fitzpatrick was signed to the team’s practice squad. With WR Diontae Johnson set to miss time with a hamstring injury, Fitzpatrick gets the chance to be part of the 53-man roster. WR Miles Boykin was also dinged in Sunday’s loss to San Francisco, though his status for Monday night against visiting Cleveland is uncertain.
Fitzpatrick will wear No. 82 for the Steelers.
Barcoo had two interceptions during training camp but failed to make much of a splash in the preseason, though he did show some promise. The former San Diego State Aztec initially signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent back in 2020, and he also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals in 2021. He was also briefly a member of the San Francisco 49ers practice squad in 2021 and had stints with the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets. He played in the XFL with the Hines Ward-coached San Antonio Brahmas, and Pittsburgh signed him shortly after the XFL season ended.
Bell spent time with the Detroit Lions prior to his stint in Pittsburgh, and he also played his college ball at San Diego State, in addition to spending time at Arizona Western and Nebraska. He was signed by the Steelers as they worked to add to their No. 3 running back battle that was eventually won by Anthony McFarland Jr. Bell signed with the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2022 but spent the entire season on the team’s practice squad before getting waived in July.
Barcoo and Bell were released earlier this week but brought back after the team made room on the practice squad.
Scott and Brown were signed earlier this month. Brown was coming off a torn Achilles injury as a member of the Dallas Cowboys last season and only lasted two weeks with the team. Scott spent last year with the Philadelphia Eagles. In 16 games a year ago, he intercepted a pair of passes. It’s unclear the nature of the injury he suffered.
It’s possible Pittsburgh makes other practice squad moves on Monday ahead of their game against Cleveland, including elevating NT Breiden Fehoko.
