The Steelers made several roster moves on Saturday, including activating linebacker Ulysees Gilbert III to the 53-man roster, elevating linebacker Tegray Scales to the Active/Inactive roster from the practice squad, and placing linebacker Robert Spillane on the Reserve/Injured List.
Gilbert, who played in two games this season, was placed on the Reserve/Injured List on Nov. 4 with a back injury. He returned to practice on Dec. 9 and the team had 21 days to activate him or he would have had to remain on the Reserve/Injured List all season.
Scales was signed to the practice squad on Nov. 11. He spent time with the Steelers during the 2019 offseason but was released prior to the start of the season. Most recently Scales was on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad for a brief time in 2020 and also played for the Dallas Renegades in the XFL, before they shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Scales originally signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2018 NFL Draft. He was released by the team before the start of the season. Scales was signed to the Colts practice squad in December and released him later in the month. Scales played collegiately at Indiana where the linebacker had 325 tackles and 18 sacks.
Spillane suffered a knee injury in the third quarter in the loss to the Washington Football Team. Spillane started the past seven games at left inside linebacker next to Vince Williams, who is now on the Reserve/COVID-19 List. Spillane moved into that role after linebacker Devin Bush was lost for the season to a knee injury.
He has 43 tackles, two sacks, four tackles for a loss, four pass defenses, three quarterback hits, a fumble recovery and an interception, which he returned 33 yards for a touchdown against the Ravens in Week 8.
