The Pittsburgh Steelers have elevated wide receiver Ben Skowronek from their practice squad for a second straight week. The Steelers announced on September 14 that they have promoted Skowronek for the Week 2 matchup against the Denver Broncos.
“The Steelers elevated wide receiver Ben Skowronek from the practice squad to the Active/Inactive Roster for Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High,” wrote Steelers.com’s Teresa Varley. “Skowronek will revert back to the practice squad after the game.
“Skowronek was also elevated for the Week 1 game against the Atlanta Falcons.”
In Week 1, Skowronek didn’t play any offensive snaps. But he did line up for 11 special teams snaps.
Skowronek has posted 58 receptions for 575 yards and 1 touchdowns in his NFL career. He played 46 games for the Los Angeles Rams from 2021-23.
He also played five playoff games for Los Angeles. Skowronek was on the Rams active roster when they won the Super Bowl during the 2021-22 season.
Last season, he registered 8 catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. He also recorded 9 rushing yards on 2 carries.
The Steelers promoted Skowronek to the active roster a second straight week with rookie wideout Roman Wilson listed as questionable for Week 2.
Steelers Promote WR Ben Skowronek From Practice Squad
The Steelers showed in Week 1 that despite massive change in the quarterback room, their best formula to win is strong defense and special teams.
Skowronek can contribute on special teams. Against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, he played 7 kickoff snaps, including 4 on coverage and 3 on the return team. He also lined up for 4 punt coverage snaps.
Punt coverage could be even more crucial for the Steelers going forward. The team lost starting punter Cameron Johnston to a season-ending injury during Week 1.
The Steelers signed former undrafted free agent punter Corliss Waitman to replace Johnston. Waitman has averaged 46.9 yards per punt in 19 career NFL games.
New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith didn’t deploy a lot of 3, 4 or 5-wide receiver sets in Week 1. But Skowronek can also provide depth at wide receiver if an injury occurs during Week 2.
Skowronek started 11 games for the Rams during the 2022 season. He registered the best statistical performance of his career during Week 14 of that season, catching 7 of his 8 targets for 89 yards.
Rookie WR Roman Wilson on Steelers Injury Report
Wilson participated more at practice ahead of Week 2 than he did prior to Week 1. That gave Steelers fans hope that the rookie would make his NFL debut in Denver.
But Skowronek’s elevation likely indicates that Wilson will not play.
Wilson was limited in practice on September 13. He and quarterback Russell Wilson are the two players listed as questionable on Pittsburgh’s injury report.
Roman Wilson suffered an ankle injury on July 30 during a training camp practice. He needed a cart to leave the field.
At the time, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the injury “does not appear serious.” While he has managed to avoid injured reserve, Wilson didn’t play in the preseason and was inactive in Week 1.
Wilson caught 48 passes for 789 yards and 12 touchdowns for the national champion Michigan Wolverines last season. He finished his college career at Michigan with 107 catches, 1,707 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. He averaged 16 yards per catch.
When healthy, Wilson could be Pittsburgh’s No. 2 or 3 wide receiver this season.
