The Pittsburgh Steelers addressed their thin wide receiver depth on Saturday with two moves involving practice squad players ahead of Sunday’s Week 8 matchup against the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium.
The team signed wide receiver Brandon Smith from the practice squad to the 53-man roster and elevated fellow wide receiver Brandon Johnson for the game, after which Johnson will revert to the practice squad, via the NFL transaction wire.
These moves come as the Steelers continue to navigate injuries in the position group.
Roman Wilson and Michael Pittman Jr. remain on injured reserve, while Ben Skowronek has been listed as questionable with a calf issue. The additions provide immediate options for an offense that has leaned on depth pieces in recent weeks.
Smith’s signing was effectively required under NFL rules. Practice squad players can be elevated to the active roster only three times in a season before they must be signed to the 53-man roster to continue playing.
Smith had already been elevated for the Week 5 game against the Indianapolis Colts, the Week 6 contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and last week’s win over the New Orleans Saints.
Against the Saints, he recorded his first two receptions of the season, totaling 24 yards including a career-long 20-yard catch from Aaron Rodgers.
The 27-year-old Iowa product has also contributed on special teams and has a prior connection to Rodgers from their overlapping time with the New York Jets.
Smith’s path has included stints with the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Jets, New England Patriots, and the D.C. Defenders of the UFL before he signed a reserve/future contract with Pittsburgh at the end of the 2025 season.
Johnson, elevated for the third and final time this season (after appearances in Weeks 6 and 7), brings more established experience.
The 28-year-old UCF product has appeared in 25 career games with 26 receptions for 335 yards and five touchdowns, primarily during earlier stints with the Denver Broncos.
He has bounced between the Broncos, Steelers, Buccaneers, and Raiders in recent years and is on his fourth stint in Pittsburgh. He has yet to record a catch in limited snaps this season.
The moves free a practice squad spot while giving the Steelers additional bodies for a key AFC North game.
Whether either player sees significant snaps will depend on Skowronek’s availability and the offensive game plan, but both have shown the Steelers value their readiness amid ongoing injuries.
