Steelers LB Clears Waivers, Reverts to Injured Reserve

Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Chapelle Russell II has cleared waivers and reverted to the team’s injured reserve list, according to the NFL transactions page for Monday.

Russell was waived with an injury designation on Sunday after suffering a knee injury while covering a kickoff in the Steelers’ first preseason game of the 2023 season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday.

Because Russell was placed on the injured reserve list before the 53-man roster cut down, he is not eligible to be activated from the IR this season. He will either spend the rest of the season on the IR, or he and the Steelers can reach and injury settlement that would allow for his release.

The Steelers have not publicly announced the nature of or a prognosis for Russell’s injury. If Russell remains on the IR through the end of the season, he will be a restricted free agent next spring.

Russell appeared to be having a strong training camp, his first with the team after joining the Steelers last year. He was injured while appearing in his first game in black and gold after spending all of 2022 on the practice squad.

Russell played 11 games for the Buccaneers in 2020 after they drafted him in the seventh round. He played in 16 games for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 before spending 2022 on the Steelers practice squad.

To replace Russell on the 90-man offseason roster, the team signed former Colts linebacker Forrest Rhyne.

Russell will join wide receiver Ja’Marcus Bradley, running back Alfonzo Graham, cornerback Cory Trice and defensive tackle Renell Wren on the Steelers’ injured reserve list.

If the team and Russell reach an injury settlement, he is free to sign with another team, or he can re-sign with the Steelers if more than three weeks have passed since the length of the settlement. This is rare, but the team did it with running back Master Teague in 2022.