The Pittsburgh Steelers came away from the final roster cuts still holding some interest in finding another suitable receiver for the offense. After all, there were no surprises among the names who landed on the initial 53-man roster on Tuesday at the position.
The Steelers entertained journeyman deep threat Marquez Valdes-Scantling, but he went to San Francisco instead. There are other notable options available, such as former New England Patriot Kendrick Bourne or disgruntled Las Vegas Raider Jakobi Meyers via trade. It remains to be seen what moves Pittsburgh will make to fine-tune the receiving corps.
Still, in the interest of trusted depth, not all who were cut from the training camp roster are gone for good. According to NFL insider Tom Pellisero, the Steelers have signed veteran wideout Robert Woods to the practice squad.
Robert Woods' veteran presence provides guidance for the Pittsburgh Steelers' young receivers
Woods was an intriguing though quiet addition to the roster ahead of camp. He, like many of the veterans added this offseason, comes with a history of proven success in the NFL. Unlike those other veterans, though, Woods is clearly in the twilight of his NFL career.
Woods heads to the practice squad in Pittsburgh, where he’ll provide emergency depth should the Steelers need to call him up. As Pellisero pointed out, however, this could be a temporary stop for Woods if another team comes calling. He reportedly had some interest while he was available after the waiver wire closed Wednesday afternoon. If that ends up being the case, the Steelers will need to be ready to pivot to another option.
Heading into his 13th NFL season, Woods had just one target and one catch for four yards in the preseason for the Steelers, despite playing plenty of snaps. His production has declined steadily over the past three seasons, following his departure from the Los Angeles Rams in 2021.
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Of course, production isn’t the only meaningful aspect Woods brings to the game. As long as he is in the building, he’ll serve as a veteran presence for players such as Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson. Sure, DK Metcalf is a veteran, but there are nuances in Woods’ game that are more transferable to the similarly built young wideouts.
Woods will be a name to keep an eye on all season as injuries pile up around the league, but in the meantime, the Steelers will appreciate what value he brings to the team on the practice field.