Steelers Lose Another Proven Player Off Practice Squad To Eagles Ahead Of Week 7

The Philadelphia Eagles have added yet another (now) former Pittsburgh Steelers player. This time, the NFC North team signed cornerback Josiah Scott off the Steelers' practice squad on Tuesday, as tweeted out by his agency JL Sports. Scott spent just over a month in Pittsburgh, but was placed on the IR shortly after and he never appeared on the active roster. Due to the Eagles' plethora of injuries in the secondary, they opted to bring back a familiar face.

Scott, a 2020 fourth-rounder, spent the 2021 and 2022 campaigns with the Eagles, which included four starts at cornerback. Considering the fact that he saw 388 (37%) defensive snaps last season, it's interesting that Head Coach Mike Tomlin didn't try Scott on the active roster for a game or two. That holds especially true when considering just how much the Steelers' cornerback unit has struggled as a whole.

It's something that Tomlin had to answer in his press conference on Tuesday, which he quickly dismissed. When asked about his possible concerns with the team allowing big games to opposing wideouts this season, he essentially responded that he wasn't worried. Veterans Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace have garnered most of that criticism, and rightfully so.

Rookie Joey Porter Jr. has yet to officially be named a starter, which has led to plenty of criticism from fans. The Penn State product has looked excellent in limited time, but Tomlin doesn't feel confident enough yet to make the move. This isn't the first time the Eagles have went after a former player from their in-state rival. Just less than a month ago, they signed Braden Mann, who has been their punter for four games now. 

Did The Steelers Make The Right Decision At Punter?

Mann lost a close punting competition to Pressley Harvin III this summer, but made it onto Pittsburgh's initial 53-man roster. The general consensus was that General Manager Omar Khan did this to try and trade one of the punters. The Eagles were seen as an obvious fitter for Mann at the time, but the trade never developed. After Pittsburgh was willing to let safety Terrell Edmunds walk away in free agency this past offseason, the Eagles scooped him up on a cheap deal. 

He's been decent for the reigning NFC champions, as Pro Football Focus ranks him 48th out of 86 safeties to this point. He ranks just one spot behind Minkah Fitzpatrick, while he's slightly ahead of his replacements Keanu Neal and Damontae Kazee. Through six contests, Edmunds has actually started just two games to this point. He's still played 64% of the Eagles' defensive snaps, while also seeing an increase in his role on special teams.

Last but not least, the Eagles also have offensive tackle Le'Raven Clark on their practice squad. The seven-year veteran spent the duration of the summer in Pittsburgh, but was unable to make the 53-man roster as a backup tackle. Instead, the Steelers opted for Dylan Cook. With Scott gone, that leaves an open spot on the team's practice squad. 

Khan hasn't been afraid to make moves when necessary, and that includes the practice squad. Through the first month of the season, there has been a lot of shuffling around throughout the roster. The Steelers now have just one cornerback, former XFL standout Luq Barcoo, on the practice squad.

Do the Steelers need to address the cornerback position via trade? Do you think the team should have given a guy like Scott more of a chance? When will Porter officially be inserted into the starting lineup? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!

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