The Pittsburgh Steelers have elevated wide receiver Ben Skowronek from their practice squad for the second consecutive week, the team announced on Saturday.
Skowronek was active in the team’s Week 1 game against the Atlanta Falcons. He played in 11 snaps, all on special teams. He worked on kickoff return, kickoff coverage and punt coverage units, including doing an outstanding job on Chris Boswell’s clutch fourth-quarter punt after regular punter Cameron Johnston had been injured.
Man what a job Scotty Miller and Ben Skowronek did on Chris Boswell's punt. Miller runs past his block, Skowronek knocks down the jammer. Miller makes the tackle. Big-time moment.
And Zach Azzanni (grey shirt on sideline) loving his guys making the play. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/aH8d3SnaoT
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) September 13, 2024
Skowronek had just been acquired the week before the game, after he was released on cut-down day by the Houston Texans. It’s possible that with him having another week of practice time under his belt, and an under-whelming performance from the rest of the Steelers wide receivers in Atlanta, that he gets more of a chance on offense this week.
Practice squad players can be elevated three times per season without having to clear waivers on the way back down. Skowronek is the only player the Steelers have elevated from their practice squad through two weeks of the season.
The Steelers have 53 players on their active roster entering their Week 2 game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, so they will the to declare five players inactive, in addition to the third, emergency quarterback.
Skowronek, 27, is entering his fourth NFL season. He spent his first three seasons with the Los Angeles Rams after being selected in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. He won Super Bowl LVI with the Rams after the 2021 season.
Skowronek was traded along with a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to the Houston Texans for a sixth-round pick in May, but he was unable to crack a loaded wide receivers room in Houston.
With the Rams, his most productive season came in 2022, when he started 11 games and caught 39 passes on 61 targets for 376 yards.
At 6-foot-3 and 227 pounds, he would at least provide a blocking upgrade at the wide receiver position after Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III struggled in that area last week.
DB’s Steelers Film Room: New WR Ben Skowronek an Intriguing Chess Piece