Getty The Pittsburgh Steelers signed former Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley to their practice squad on December 4.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be without former Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett because of injury for at least Week 14. But on December 4, the Steelers added another signal caller that played for a popular local college football team.
The Steelers announced on December 4 that they signed former Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report the move.
“With Kenny Pickett undergoing ankle surgery this morning, the Steelers are signing free-agent QB Trace McSorley to their practice squad, per source,” wrote Schefter on X (formerly Twitter).
With Kenny Pickett undergoing ankle surgery this morning, the Steelers are signing free-agent QB Trace McSorley to their practice squad, per source.
The Steelers also released wide receiver Jacob Copeland to make room for McSorley on their practice squad.
The Baltimore Ravens drafted McSorley in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft. He played in three games for the Ravens during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
McSorley made his lone NFL start for the Arizona Cardinals during the 2022 campaign.
In 46 college games, McSorley threw for 9,899 yards, 77 touchdowns and 25 interceptions in four seasons at Penn State.
Steelers Sign QB Trace McSorley to the Practice Squad
With the signing of McSorley, the Steelers will keep with their theme of having three healthy quarterbacks for games this season.
McSorley doesn’t have a lot of NFL experience, but ironically, a lot of the little experience he gained in Baltimore came against the Steelers.
In 2019, McSorley made his NFL regular season debut in Week 17 versus the Steelers. He ran for 1 yard on his only snap.
Then in 2020, with the Ravens decimated with COVID-19, McSorley replaced an injured Robert Griffin III. McSorley completed just 2 of 6 passes, but one of his completions went for a 70-yard touchdown.
Halfway through the 2021 season, the Cardinals signed McSorley off the Ravens practice squad. In 2022, he started in Week 16 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
McSorley went 24-for-45 with 217 passing yards and an interception in a 19-16 loss.
Over nine NFL appearances, McSorley has completed 51.6% of his passes for 502 yards with 1 touchdown and 5 interceptions.
Prior to signing with the Steelers, McSorley spent time with the practice squads of the New England Patriots and Chicago Bears during 2023.
Because of the new third-quarterback rule in the NFL this season, the Steelers have had three quarterbacks active on game days this season. But for McSorley to be eligible to play as a third quarterback in Week 14, the Steelers would have to have him on the active roster.
Steelers Do Not Place QB Kenny Pickett on Injured Reserve
One logical move the Steelers could make if they want McSorley available in Week 14 would be to place Pickett on injured reserve. That would open a roster spot for McSorley.
But that would also mean Pickett could not play again until Week 18. Any player placed on injured reserve must stay on IR for a minimum of four games.
Although Pickett underwent ankle surgery on December 4, the Steelers had yet to place him on injured reserve.
In the hours after losing 24-10 to the Cardinals, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported that Pickett would miss 2-4 weeks.
“UPDATE: Kenny Pickett will have a surgical procedure Monday on his injured ankle and expected to be out 2-4 weeks, per sources,” tweeted Dulac.
With Pickett avoiding injured reserve (for now), the Steelers appear to be holding out hope that the the 25-year-old will be able to return sooner than the longest length of Dulac’s timeframe.
The Steelers will face the Patriots on Thursday, December 7. Then after 10 days off, the Steelers will visit the Indianapolis Colts.