Steelers Activate Tight End/H-Back David Johnson

December 8, 2011; Pittsburgh,PA, USA: Pittsburgh Steelers tight end David Johnson (85) runs after a catch against Cleveland Browns linebacker Chris Gocong (51) during the first quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 14-3. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USPRESSWIRE

I am sure that most of you know that the Steelers have a mess on their hands at the tight end position.  Former third-stringer David Paulson is ready to begin the 2013 campaign as Pittsburgh’s starter, and the depth chart is not littered with promising backups either.

Thankfully, the Steelers received a bit of a boost earlier today when they activated the now-healthy David Johnson from the PUP list.

Johnson, who was actually penciled in as the team’s starting fullback last year, was sidelined for the entirety of the 2012 season after he tore his ACL during the Pittsburgh’s first preseason game against Philadelphia.  Despite the extended recovery time, Johnson was placed on the PUP list this spring because he needed arthroscopic surgery to remove loose cartilage from his injured knee.

Due to the lack of experienced depth at the tight end position, the addition of Johnson can only help the Steelers during their time of need.  Paulson looked absolutely atrocious as a run-blocker on Monday night, and it does not hurt Pittsburgh to add a familiar face to the mix while they scramble to find stop-gap solutions at the position until Miller and Spaeth can return.

Players Stats & Info. Provided By: ESPN.com, Steelers.com, and Pro Football Reference

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