The Steelers made multiple roster moves on Tuesday, including promoting tight end Kevin Rader from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.
Rader was previously elevated to the Active/Inactive roster for the Week 9 game against the Chicago Bears and had a one-yard reception. He was signed to the practice squad at the start of the 2021 season, after being released on the final roster cut.
He previously spent time on the Steelers practice squad and active roster in 2020. Rader, who played high school football at Pine-Richland in the Pittsburgh area, spent the majority of the 2019 season on the Steelers' practice squad. He originally signed a reserve/future contract with the Steelers early in the 2019 offseason.
In addition, receiver Ray-Ray McCloud was placed on the Reserve/COVID List. McCloud has 19 receptions for 141 yards, a 7.4-yard average.
McCloud has been the Steelers main kick returner this season, with 21 kickoff returns for 503 yards, a 24-yard average. He also returned 22 punts for 194 yards, an 8.8-yard average.
The team also signed guard Rashaad Coward and tight end Jace Sternberger to the practice squad and released quarterback James Morgan from the practice squad.
Coward was originally signed to a one-year contract in March. He was released on the final roster cut before the start of the season, brought back a few days later, and released again in early October. Coward spent the previous four years with the Chicago Bears, joining them as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2017 NFL Draft out of Old Dominion. Coward has played in 30 career games, starting 15, playing mainly at guard, but also has seen some work at tackle. Over the past two years he played in 29 games, starting 10 in 2019 and five in 2020. He started 11 games at right guard, three at left guard and one at right tackle. Coward spent the majority of his rookie season and all of the 2018 season on the practice squad, after switching from defensive to offensive line in his second year.
Sternberger was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2019 NFL Draft but was released earlier this year.
