The Steelers have promoted running back Trey Edmunds and quarterback Paxton Lynch from the practice squad to the active roster, the team announced on Friday.
Edmunds is in his second season with the team and his second stint on the active roster. He was on the practice squad last season until being promoted on Dec. 4, 2018, dressing for four games.
He spent the 2017 season with the New Orleans Saints and had nine carries for 48 yards and a touchdown. A noted special teams performer, Edmunds also returned three kicks for 65 yards and played on 62 percent of New Orleans’ special teams snaps that season.
He’s been called up to help offset the loss of backup running back Jaylen Samuels, who is expected to miss a month after undergoing knee surgery on Monday. Rookie Benny Snell will be the primary backup to starter James Conner.
Lynch, 25, is a former first-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos that the Steelers signed to their practice squad on Sept. 17 after Ben Roethlisberger was lost for the season with an elbow injury.
Lynch played in five career games and made four start for the Broncos from 2016-17. He has a career completion percentage of 61.7 and a passer rating of 76.7.
He did not sign with another team after being cut by the Broncos before the 2018 season. Lynch spent the 2019 preseason with the Seattle Seahawks but was again released before being signed by the Steelers.
Lynch will serve as the backup to starter Devlin Hodges, as Mason Rudolph has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers. He remains in the league’s concussion protocol.
To make room on the roster, the Steelers waived guard Fred Johnson and outside linebacker Jay Elliott. Johnson made the team out of training camp as an undrafted rookie out of Florida. Elliott was cut at the end of training camp, but re-signed with the team after an injury to linebacker Anthony Chickillo.
Chickillo returned fully to practice this week and is expected to play against the Chargers.