UPDATE: Per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Hodgins is signing to Pittsburgh’s practice squad.
Our original story is below.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing WR Isaiah Hodgins, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. It’s unknown if Hodgins is signing with Pittsburgh’s 53-man roster or the team’s practice squad.
It’s likely that Hodgins worked out with the team today prior to signing, although that has not been reported. He’s a fourth-year veteran who was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Oregon State. While he was drafted by Buffalo, most of his NFL success has come as a member of the New York Giants.
Hodgins’ best season came in 2022, when he was claimed off waivers by the Giants after catching just four passes in two games with the Bills. In New York, Hodgins had 33 catches for 351 yards and four touchdowns. He wasn’t able to recapture that same success in 2023 though, finishing with 21 catches for 230 yards and three scores, and he had just two catches in two games last season. He was most recently with the San Francisco 49ers, but he was waived during final roster cuts.
If he is signed to the Steelers’ active roster, a corresponding move will be necessary. With DL Isaiahh Loudermilk likely headed to IR, that could be the corresponding move. The Steelers could also sign Hodgins to their practice squad and sign someone from their practice squad to the active roster if Loudermilk does head to IR.
At the 2020 NFL Combine, Hodgins measured in at 6035 and 210 pounds. He ran a 4.53 40-yard dash and vertical jumped 36 1/2 inches. He had a strong junior season at Oregon State, with 86 receptions for 1,171 yards and 13 touchdowns, which led him to forgo his senior season and declare for the NFL Draft. During his collegiate career, he accumulated 176 receptions for 2,322 yards and 20 touchdowns.
The Steelers recently signed WR Rakim Jarrett to their practice squad, and it’s clear that the team is interested in improving its receiving corps. The Steelers entered 2025 with a lot of question marks behind WR DK Metcalf, and while Calvin Austin III had a strong Week 1, no one has truly stepped up behind Metcalf, who had a quiet Week 2 aside from a red-zone touchdown. Even if Hodgins is signed to the practice squad, he could still factor into the team’s plans as a receiver.
Notably, Hodgins doesn’t have much NFL special teams experience, having logged just three total snaps with Buffalo in 2022. The Steelers seem to like what he can offer in the passing game, but Hodgins won’t be expected to contribute on special teams.
The move, along with any corresponding move, will likely be made official later tonight or tomorrow.
