UPDATE, 4:10 p.m.: According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Robert Woods requested his release from the practice squad Tuesday, and reportedly only wants to keep playing if he’s on a 53-man roster somewhere.
Our original story is below.
After signing Jon Rhattigan early Tuesday morning, the Pittsburgh Steelers made a corresponding move Tuesday afternoon to clear a spot on the practice squad for the veteran linebacker.
Wide receiver Robert Woods is the odd man out. The Steelers announced the move moments ago, cutting Woods for the second time in just over a week.
Woods was let go as part of the final roster cuts last week. The Steelers had signed him to a one-year, $2 million deal in late April, shortly after the 2025 NFL Draft. But throughout the summer he was surpassed by wide receiver Scotty Miller, leading to him being the odd man out when it came to a spot on the Steelers’ 53-man roster.
Ultimately, he circled back to the practice squad, even though he reportedly garnered interest elsewhere.
Now, he’s back on the open market as the Steelers have cut ties with him on the practice squad, opening up a slot for Rhattigan, who worked out for the team Monday and adds more ILB depth to it.
Prior to getting cut ahead of the 53-man roster deadline, Woods underwhelmed throughout training camp and the preseason. Playing 69 snaps in three preseason games, he hauled in just one pass for six yards. It was his only target of the preseason.
Known as a physical blocker in the slot and a dependable receiving option, Woods’ impact as a blocker never really showed up during the summer or in the preseason. He graded out at just a 47.0 overall from Pro Football Focus, which included a poor 52.3 run-blocking grade.
Late in the preseason, Woods saw a number of snaps late in the fourth quarter of games with Logan Woodside under center.
It’s a tough fall for Woods, who was expected to give the Steelers some experience in the receiver room behind DK Metcalf, helping young players like Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson develop.
With Woods’ release, the only wide receivers left on the Steelers’ practice squad are UDFAs Ke’Shawn Williams and Max Hurleman.
