The Houston Texans will sign former Steelers running back Jaylen Samuels to their practice squad, according to a report by Tom Pelissero of NFL.com
The #Texans are signing former #Steelers RB Jaylen Samuels to the practice squad, source said. Several teams called to bring in Samuels, who adds depth after the Mark Ingram trade.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 29, 2021
Samuels was released by the Steelers on Wednesday after Anthony McFarland Jr. was activated from the injured reserve list.
The team’s fifth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Samuels had spent all of the 2021 season on the Steelers’ practice squad. He played a good bit in his first two seasons, rushing 122 times for 431 yards in 2018 and 2019, but saw his role with the team gradually decrease with the additions of Benny Snell in 2019 and McFarland in 2020. Last season, Samuels carried the ball just nine times for 28 yards.
The Steelers still have five healthy running backs available to them, with starter Najee Harris and backup Kalen Ballage on then active roster along with Snell and McFarland and Trey Edmunds on the practice squad.
The Texans have one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL despite a collection of experienced backs that includes Mark Ingram, David Johnson, Phillip Lindsay and Rex Burkhead.