The Pittsburgh Steelers officially signed 27-year-old wide receiver Brandon Smith from their practice squad to the 53-man active roster on Saturday, a critical move ahead of their Week 8 clash with the Cleveland Browns.
Why Smith Had To Make The Jump To The Active Roster
This wasn’t just a casual roster shuffle, folks. Smith had already been elevated from the practice squad three times this season. Under league rules, hitting that third elevation means if Pittsburgh wanted him to play again, they *had* to sign him to the active roster. Smith’s journey to this point has been a grinder: he started his NFL career as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys, then bounced around, spending time with the Arizona Cardinals in 2023, the New York Jets from 2024,2025, and the New England Patriots in 2025 before finally landing with the Steelers in 2026. Across his career, he’s appeared in six games, snagging two catches for a total of 24 yards. It’s a testament to his perseverance, for sure, but the timing of this move tells a bigger story.
What This Means For Ben Skowronek’s Status
Here’s the kicker: not only did the Steelers sign Smith, but they also elevated *another* wide receiver from their practice squad for the Week 8 matchup against the Browns. When you put both of these roster moves together, it paints a pretty clear picture. It doesn’t exactly bode well for Ben Skowronek, who’s currently listed as questionable. All signs point to him potentially missing out on returning from injury this Sunday. You gotta wonder what the coaching staff is thinking if they’re making these kinds of moves so close to game day. They’re clearly bracing for something.
With the Browns game looming, all eyes are going to be on that receiver room. Will Smith step up if Skowronek is indeed out? We’ll find out when the Steelers hit the field against Cleveland this Sunday.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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