The Steelers added 15 players to their practice squad on Wednesday, a mix of some who were with the team in training camp as well as some new faces.
The team signed wide receivers Rico Bussey and Cody White; running backs Trey Edmunds and Jaylen Samuels; offensive linemen Chaz Green and John Leglue; tight end Kevin Rader; and defensive backs Mark Gilbert and Donovan Stiner.
The team also agree to terms with wide receiver Steven Sims, offensive guard Malcolm Pridgeon, linebackers Derrek Tuszka and Christian Miller, defensive end Daniel Archibong and safety Karl Joseph.
All teams have the ability to sign 16 players to the practice squad this year, and veterans are permitted to be signed again this season.
More on the practice squad players below:
2021 Practice Squad:
Defensive end Daniel Archibong: Archibong signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2021 NFL Draft. He played at Temple where he had 89 tackles, five sacks, one forced fumble and eight pass defenses.
Wide receiver Rico Bussey: Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2021 NFL Draft. The former Hawaii receiver started all eight games in 2020. Finished third on the team in receptions with 31 and had 274 yards receiving. Caught at least one pass in seven of eight games. Transferred to Hawaii from North Texas, where he caught 128 receptions for 1,914 yards and 21 touchdowns for the Mean Green. His 21 receiving touchdowns rank fourth in school history.
Running back Trey Edmunds: Edmunds has been off and on the Steelers roster since 2018. He spent time on the 53-man roster and practice squad throughout the 2020 season, playing in one game. He didn't have any carries last season. Edmunds, who began his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints, opened the 2019 season on the Steelers' practice squad before being promoted to the 53-man roster on Oct. 11. He played in 11 games with 22 carries for 92 yards and had six receptions for 48 yards that season. Edmunds also had one interception on a fake punt against the Los Angeles Rams. His best performance came against the Indianapolis Colts when he had 12 carries for 73 yards when both James Conner and Benny Snell were inactive due to injuries. In 2018 he spent 12 weeks on the team's practice squad before being added to the 53-man roster, playing in four games, seeing action mostly on special teams.
Defensive back Mark Gilbert: Gilbert was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2021 NFL Draft. While at Duke he played in 29 games, starting 20, while record 65 tackles, including five for a loss, seven interceptions and 17 pass breakups. Gilbert has strong NFL and Pittsburgh ties as his uncle, Sean Gilbert starred at the University of Pittsburgh and played 11 seasons in the NFL and his cousin, Darrelle Revis, also played at the University of Pittsburgh and had an impressive 11-year NFL career, earning AFC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2009.
Offensive lineman Chaz Green: Green signed with the Steelers shortly before training camp. He played in 15 games in 2020 for Indianapolis, starting one, in his only season with the Colts. Green was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft, the 91st overall player. He missed the majority of the season with a hip injury, activated late in the year but didn't play. He played a combined 18 games in 2016 and 2017, starting six. Green also spent time with the Saints, Broncos and Raiders, where he played in four games and started one for the silver and black. He has played in a total of 37 games, starting eight, in his six-year career.
Safety Karl Joseph: Joseph played for the Cleveland Browns in 2020. He played in 14 games last season, starting eight, and finished with 66 tackles, four pass defenses and an interception. He also added two fumble recoveries. Joseph is a former first-round pick of the Oakland Raiders in the 2016 NFL Draft, the 14th pick overall. He has played in 49 career games, starting 41, and had 249 tackles, four interceptions, three sacks, 16 pass defenses, three fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. As a rookie he was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team, starting nine of 12 games played, with 58 tackles, six pass defenses, an interception and fumble recovery.
Offensive tackle John Leglue: Leglue originally was signed to the Steelers practice squad in 2020. He entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent, signing with the Denver Broncos following the 2019 NFL Draft. He was released by the Broncos following the 2019 training camp and was signed to the New Orleans Saints practice squad. The Green Bay Packers signed Leglue off the Saints practice squad on Dec. 21, 2019. Leglue played at Tulane where he started 38 of the 49 games he played in. The versatile lineman has started four different positions, including right and left tackle, right guard and center.
Linebacker Christian Miller: Miller was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft and played in seven games his rookie season. Miller opted out of the 2020 season because of the pandemic. He was released by Carolina on the final cuts this season.
Offensive guard Malcolm Pridgeon: Pridgeon originally signed with the Steelers during training camp. He entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2019 NFL Draft with the Houston Texans. He was released before the start of the season, and then signed to the Cleveland Browns practice squad. Pridgeon played on two Big Ten championship teams (2017-18) for Ohio State, playing in every game those two seasons and starting 14. He missed the 2016 season with an injury. His college career began at Nassau Community College where he played two seasons (2014-15), before he transferred to Oho State.
Tight end Kevin Rader: Rader 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. Rader was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2018 NFL Draft, spending training camp with the team. He played collegiately at Youngstown State where he had 44 receptions for 601 yards and four touchdowns.
Running back Jaylen Samuels: Samuels spent the last three seasons on the 53-man roster after being drafted by the team in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the 165th overall selection. Samuels has played in 42 games, starting eight, and has 131 carries for 459 yards and one touchdown. He also has 82 receptions for 550 yards and four touchdowns.
Wide receiver Steven Sims: Sims spent a short time with the Buffalo Bills, before being released on the final roster cut. He spent two seasons with the Washington Football Team pulling in 61 receptions for 575 yards and a total of seven touchdowns. He also added to Washington's special teams, one of his touchdowns coming on a kickoff return.
Safety Donovan Stiner: Stiner was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2021 NFL Draft and had an interception in the Hall of Fame game against the Cowboys. Stiner finished his college career at Florida playing in 48 games and recording 150 tackles with three interceptions. In 2020 he played in 11 games, starting 10, and recorded 62 tackles, two tackles for a loss and one pass breakup. He had a season-high nine tackles against Ole Miss.
Linebacker Derrek Tuszka: Tuszka was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the 245th player overall. He spent time on their practice squad and active roster last season. He played college football at North Dakota State where in four seasons he started 34 of 53 games and recorded 133 tackles, 42 tackles for loss, 29.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and six pass defenses.
Wide receiver Cody White: Was originally signed to the Steelers practice squad near the start of the 2020 season, spending the entire season there. Was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Kansas City Chiefs following the 2020 NFL Draft, but was later released. He also spent time with the New York Giants and Denver Broncos before being signed by the Steelers. Left Michigan State following his junior year to enter the NFL Draft. His father, Sheldon White, played in the NFL for six years and worked for the Detroit Lions in the front office for 19 years and now works for the Washington Football Team.
