Steelers make moves; Myles Jack, Eric Rowe, Elijah Riley expected to play big roles vs. Bengals

Chris Adamski
Friday, Dec. 22, 2023 3:28 p.m. | Friday, Dec. 22, 2023 3:28 p.m.

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Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review

Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Myles Jack (right, No. 51) puts a hit on Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cameron Brate during a 2022 game at Acrisure Stadium. Jack announced his retirement in August but was signed to the Steelers’ practice squad last month and will be elevated to the active roster for Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

To plug a growing number of holes in their defense, the Pittsburgh Steelers added options for Saturday’s game via a variety of roster moves.

The team announced Friday that veterans Myles Jack and Eric Rowe would be elevated from the practice squad to play against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, and that Elijah Riley was activated off of the injured reserve list for the game.

Also, special-teamer Kyron Johnson was promoted from the practice squad to the 53-man active roster.

Signed to the practice squad last month, the 30-year-old Rowe is a nine-year veteran safety who will be making both his 2023 season debut and his Steelers debut.

Jack, 28, announced in August he was retiring. But he was lured back into the game last month via a practice-squad spot on the Steelers, the team he played for in 2022 following six seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jack started 13 games at inside linebacker for the Steelers last season.

Riley appeared in 13 consecutive Steelers regular-season games dating from Christmas Eve last year through Nov. 19, when he suffered an ankle injury during a loss at the Cleveland Browns. Though Riley, a four-year NFL veteran, is mostly a special teams standout, he has at times contributed at safety.

The Steelers are without their top four safeties Saturday: Minkah Fitzpatrick suffered a knee injury and Trenton Thompson a neck injury during last week’s loss at the Indianapolis Colts, Damontae Kazee was given a three-game suspension for a hit he delivered in that game and Keanu Neal remains on injured reserve because of a rib injury.

The Steelers are expected to start cornerback Patrick Peterson and Rowe at safety against the Bengals. Jack likely will join Mykal Walker and Mark Robinson in a rotation alongside Elandon Roberts at inside linebacker, a position where the Steelers lost two co-starters to season-ending injury last month.

Johnson (an outside linebacker by trade) served as a practice-squad elevation the past three games, playing not on defense but as a core special-teamer. By rule, each player is permitted only three gameday elevations off the practice squad per season.

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