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The Pittsburgh Steelers have lost a few offensive skilled players in the first two weeks of the season. To help with the team’s depth in the backfield and on special teams, the Steelers added a practice squad player from another team.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported on September 20 that the Steelers have signed running back Godwin Igwebuike off the Atlanta Falcons practice squad.
Igwebuike will join the Steelers active roster.
Igwebuike played for the Falcons in Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers. He didn’t have a touch or target, but Igwebuike played 2 offensive snaps and 14 snaps on special teams.
Steelers Sign Godwin Igwebuike
An undrafted rookie in 2018, Igwebuike has spent time with seven different NFL organizations.
He played a career-high 17 games for the Detroit Lions in 2021. He mostly played special teams, lining up for 288 snaps for Detroit’s special teams unit that season. Igwebuike returned 28 kickoffs for 697 yards, averaging 24.9 yards per return.
He also had 118 rushing yards, 7 receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown while playing on offense.
Last season, Igwebuike played five games for the Seattle Seahawks. He returned 11 kickoffs for 308 yards.
In both 2021 and 2022, his longest kickoff return went for at least 47 yards.
Igwebuike spent training camp with the Falcons. He was part of the team’s roster cuts at the end of August, but he played well during the preseason. Atlanta features some of the best running back depth in the league with rookie Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson.
With Patterson out for Week 1, the Falcons signed Igwebuike to the active roster. Atlanta released him and then re-signed him to its practice squad after the game.
How Igwebuike Fits With the Steelers
The Steelers only had two running backs on their active roster after playing the Cleveland Browns in Week 2. So Igwebuike will immediately provide running back depth.
But Pittsburgh also needs reinforcements in the return game. Wide receiver and return specialist Gunner Olszewski left Week 2 with a head injury.
Olszewski was returning kickoffs against the Browns because the team’s regular kick returner, Anthony McFarland, was out with a knee injury he sustained in the season opener.
McFarland also served as Pittsburgh’s No. 3 running back in Week 1.
The Steelers placed McFarland on injured reserve, which means he will miss at least four games. Judging by the Steelers signing Igwebuike, Olszewski’s status for Week 3 is very much in doubt too.
Igwebuike will likely be Pittsburgh’s kick returner and No. 3 running back for the next few weeks.
In addition to Igwebuike, the Steelers have another former Falcons running back they could turn to for depth. Pittsburgh signed Qadree Ollison to the team’s practice squad on September 2.
The Steelers elevated Ollison from the practice squad to the active roster for Week 2, but he didn’t play a snap.
In four NFL seasons with the Falcons and Dallas Cowboys from 2019-22, Ollison rushed for 158 yards and 5 touchdowns while averaging 3.6 yards per carry.
But he doesn’t have any kick returning experience. In Igwebuike, the Steelers found a depth running back who can also serve a role on special teams.
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