Steelers Sign Former Bengals WR, Bring Back Ex-Eagles RB

Michael Hickey/Getty Images Bengals wide receiver Josh Malone.

On Tuesday the Pittsburgh Steelers made three roster moves ahead of this weekend’s Sunday Night Football game against the Miami Dolphins.

First, the Steelers signed former Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets wide receiver Josh Malone to the practice squad. Malone was one of three wide receivers that the Steelers worked out last week, a group that included wideout Taysir Mack, who played alongside Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett while both attended Pitt.

Josh Malone Was a 4th-Round Pick in 2017

Malone — 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds — was a 4th-round selection of the Bengals and played in Cincinnati for two seasons before catching on with the Jets in 2019 and spending two years in New York.

Malone has 28 games of regular-season experience in the NFL, having been credited with 11 catches for 91 yards and a touchdown, as per Pro Football Reference.

The Chattanooga, Tenn. native spent much of last year on the practice squads of the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers. He caught on with the Tennessee Titans early this year but was waived on August 16, 2022.

With the addition of Malone, Pittsburgh now has two wide receivers on its practice squad, the other being Cody White, who is the son of Steelers Director of Pro Scouting Sheldon White.

Ex-Eagles RB Jason Huntley Returns to Practice Squad

Meanwhile, on Tuesday the Steelers also brought back former Eagles running back Jason Huntley, who originally signed to Pittsburgh’s practice squad on Sept. 2, 2022.

Huntley — 5-foot-9 and 193 pounds — is a former fifth-round pick of the Detroit Lions, having been selected No. 172 overall in 2020 out of New Mexico State.

Huntley has been described as a “quicker than fast all-purpose gadget back.” He has appeared in a half-dozen regular-season games, all with the Eagles, and has 18 career carries for 70 yards (3.9 yards per carry). He also returned a total of five kickoffs during his two seasons with the Eagles, averaging 24 yards per return with a long of 35 yards.

He was released by the Eagles in late August during Philly’s final round of roster cuts, despite a strong performance in the preseason finale in which he carried the ball 11 time for 93 yards, headlined by a 67-yard touchdown run.

To make room on the practice squad roster for (one of) the above, the team terminated the contract of rookie practice safety Scott Nelson, who signed with the Steelers on Oct. 4.

Pittsburgh already had one practice squad spot open by virtue of signing cornerback Josh Jackson to the 53-man roster on Oct. 15.

Huntley is one of two running backs on Pittsburgh’s practice squad, the other being former Steelers 4th-round pick Anthony McFarland Jr., who was part of the team’s final round of roster cuts at the end of August.

Kenny Pickett Will Start vs. Dolphins?

In other news from Tuesday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin indicated that quarterback Kenny Pickett will be the starting quarterback on Sunday night, assuming he is cleared to play from a medical perspective.

“It’s my understanding that his work won’t be limited in any way,” Tomlin said of Pickett, who suffered a concussion against the Buccaneers on a sack allowed by Kevin Dotson. “We’ll adhere to the protocol and we’ll follow that and let that be our guide in terms of participation. I’ll say this, if he’s cleared to play, he’ll play quarterback for us.”