The Pittsburgh Steelers have released WR Brandon Johnson from IR with an injury settlement, per Aaron Wilson on X.
Johnson was having a nice camp and preseason until he suffered a foot injury in the Steelers’ final preseason game against the Carolina Panthers. He was waived/injured at roster cutdowns and is now being released from IR.
Entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2022 with the Denver Broncos, Johnson joined the Steelers’ practice squad shortly after roster cutdowns in 2024. He was activated from the practice squad three times and subsequently signed a Reserve/Future contract with the Steelers in January.
In three games with the Steelers last season, Johnson caught his only target for nine yards and played 19 snaps on offense. He previously appeared in 20 games with three starts for the Broncos. WR coach Zach Azzanni had a hand in bringing Johnson to Pittsburgh from their time together in Denver and at the University of Tennessee.
He had a good chance of sticking around on the practice squad and getting elevated for games this season had he stayed healthy. Johnson recorded five receptions for 28 yards in the Steelers’ first two preseason games prior to getting injured.
While the Steelers appear to be happy with the wide receivers on their 53-man roster, they don’t have the most depth there. Robert Woods, Ke’Shawn Williams and Max Hurleman landed on their practice squad. They reportedly tried to sign WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, but he decided to sign with the San Francisco 49ers.
There was an opportunity for a guy like Johnson to stick around and earn a larger role if he continued to develop. It’s still possible he eventually circles back to Pittsburgh, possibly even next offseason once again.
