The Steelers filled out their initial 16-man practice squad by signing three players on Saturday.
Those signed include defensive back Tariq Carpenter, running back Zander Horvath and running back Qadree Ollison.
More on the recent signings.
Defensive back Tariq Carpenter: Carpenter spent last season with the Green Bay Packers after they selected him in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He saw action in 14 games, finishing with eight special teams tackles, which was sixth on the team. Carpenter had at least one special teams tackle in six of the final eight games of the season. He played at Georgia Tech where he appeared in 52 games, 41 starts, and finished with 223 tackles, 152 of them solo stops. He also had 22 passes defensed, four interceptions, six and a half tackles for a loss and three forced fumbles.
Running back Zander Horvath: Horvath was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. His rookie season he played in 15 games, starting two, and finished with four carries for eight yards and had five receptions for eight yards. He also played in the Chargers AFC Wild Card game. Horvath played collegiately at Purdue, where he saw action in 28 games. He carried the ball 268 times for 1,181 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. He also added 68 receptions for 592 yards and a touchdown.
Running back Qadree Ollison: Ollison spent his first three seasons in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons, before signing with the Dallas Cowboys in 2022 and then the Jacksonville Jaguars this past offseason. He was selected by the Falcons in the fifth-round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the 152nd overall selection. He played in 19 games for the Falcons, also spending time on their practice squad, and had 44 carries for 158 yards and five touchdowns, including four his rookie season. He played in three games for the Cowboys in 2022, also spending time on their practice squad. Ollison played at the University of Pittsburgh where he rushed for 1,213 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2018, ranking second in total rushing in the ACC that season and earning second team All-ACC honors.
Previous Practice Squad signings:
Cornerback Luq Barcoo: Barcoo was signed to a one-year contract this offseason. Prior to signing with the Steelers, he played for the San Antonio Brahmas in the XFL. He finished the season with 31 tackles, one interception and a sack. Barcoo was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2020 NFL Draft. He played in three games, starting one, and recorded 10 tackles, one tackle for a loss and had a pass defensed. He has also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs, but didn't see action with any of the teams. Barcoo played two years at San Diego State where he had a breakout senior season. He led the NCAA with nine interceptions and was a third-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection.
Running back Greg Bell: Bell was signed by the Steelers during training camp. Bell originally signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft. Bell played two seasons at San Diego State after transferring from Nebraska. While at San Diego State he had 358 carries for 1,728 yards and 15 touchdowns in 21 games. In 2021 he carried the ball 245 times for 1,091 yards and nine touchdowns.
Defensive back Anthony Brown: Brown was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He played in 12 games in 2022 before suffering an ACL injury. In his first six seasons he played in 82 games, starting 57. He has 324 career tackles, 260 of them solo stops, four sacks, nine interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown in 2021.
Offensive tackle Kellen Diesch: Diesch was most recently with the Chicago Bears, who released him during roster cutdowns this year. He originally signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft. He was released by the Dolphins and spent the 2022 season on the Chicago Bears practice squad. Diesch played college ball at Texas A&M, then transferred to Arizona State for two seasons.
Defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko: Fehoko signed with the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He spent the last three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers after signing with them as an undrafted free agent following the 2020 NFL Draft. Fehoko has played in 23 games, starting 12, and has 36 career tackles, including 15 solo tackles. He finished the 2022 season with 23 tackles, 10 of them solo stops, with one tackle for a loss in nine games, including one start, after spending time early in the year on the practice squad. He added three tackles in the AFC Wild Card game against Jacksonville.
Receiver Simi Fehoko: Fehoko, who is the cousin of defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko, spent the last two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. Fehoko was drafted by the Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Stanford. He played in 10 games for Dallas, pulling in three receptions for 24 yards. He was placed on the Reserve/Injured List during the 2022 season after suffering a shoulder injury. While at Stanford he was an Associated Press First-Team All-Pac 12 selection in 2020, finishing with 37 receptions for 574 yards and three touchdowns in just a six-game season.
Guard Joey Fisher: Fisher was originally signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 NFL Draft. He was released when the 49ers got down to the 53-man roster. Fisher played at Shepherd University where he started for three seasons, while the school didn't play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was a Division II First-Team All-America and All-PSAC First Team selection.
Receiver Dez Fitzpatrick: Fitzpatrick was signed to Reserve/Future contract at the end of the 2022 season. Fitzpatrick was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He played in four games in 2021 and was on the Titans practice squad in 2022. Fitzpatrick played at the University of Louisville where he had 154 receptions for 2,589 yards with 21 touchdowns during his career.
Defensive lineman Jonathan Marshall: Marshall was signed by the Steelers at the end of the 2022 season from the New York Jets practice squad. Marshall was drafted by the Jets in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the 207th pick overall. He played in four games for the Jets in 2021 and recorded two tackles. Marshall played at the University of Arkansas where he started the 2020 season, finishing with 35 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss, as well as a sack, forced fumble and pass defense. He played in 45 games at Arkansas, recording 71 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, one pass defense, one and a half sacks and two forced fumbles.
Linebacker David Perales: Perales was signed as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 NFL Draft. Perales finished his career at Fresno State with 22.5 sacks, the sixth most in school history. He started 13 of 14 games in 2022 and finished with a career-high 11.5 sacks and 16 tackles for a loss. Perales had two forced fumbles, one interception and five passes defensed. He ranked seventh in the FBS in sacks. He transferred to Fresno State after starting his college career at Sacramento State.
Defensive back Josiah Scott: Scott spent the last two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played in 29 games, starting four. Last season he had 24 tackles, 17 of them solo stops, two tackles for a loss and two interceptions while starting four games. Scott began his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who drafted him in the fourth-round of the 2020 NFL Draft. His rookie season he played in six games, finishing with 11 tackles. The Jaguars traded him to the Eagles in the 2021 offseason. Scott played college football at Michigan State where he recorded 98 tackles, 32 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 30 games.
Safety Trenton Thompson: Thompson was signed by the Steelers during training camp. Thompson, who played at San Diego State, signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 NFL Draft. He played in 57 games at San Diego State, starting 31, and finished with 191 tackles, 125 of them solo stops, 12 tackles for a loss, four interceptions, two forced fumbles and a sack.
Tight end Rodney Williams: Williams spent the majority of the 2022 season on the Steelers practice squad. He was originally signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft but released during the preseason. Williams played college ball at Tennessee-Martin, where he played in 53 games, starting 26. He finished with 99 receptions for 1,217 yards and seven touchdowns, finishing his career ranked ninth in school history in receptions.
