Steelers Re-Stock Critically Low DB Depth, Sign Ex-Browns Safety

The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed safety Nate Meadors to their practice squad, the team announced on Wednesday.

Meadors, 26, is in his fifth professional season. He has spent time with six NFL, teams most recently the Cleveland Browns. Meadors spent two weeks with the Browns in training camp this August before being released on Aug. 27. He has not been with another NFL team since.

Meadors played with the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL this past spring and has already signed to play with the BattleHawks again in 2024. He played nine games with St. Louis this spring, starting eight, and recorded 22 tackles and two interceptions.

The 5-foot-11, 189-pound UCLA alum first entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings in 2019. He spent two seasons in Minnesota, playing in this only three NFL games to date and recording two tackles.

He was released a few weeks into his second season, and from there, Meadors bounced around the league. He finished 2020 on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad, and re-signed for 2021, but was released in May. Since then, he spent time on the roster of the Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and Tennessee Titans, but has not appeared in another NFL game.

The Steelers are extremely short on bodies in the secondary, with strong safety Damontae Kazee suspended and free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, strong safety Keanu Neal and strong safety Trenton Thompson all injured.

Eric Rowe was called up from the practice squad to start in his first action of the season alongside converted cornerback Patrick Peterson at safety last Saturday.

Meadors will fill the spot of Henry Black, who was signed off the Steelers’ practice squad by the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday. The Steelers also officially announced the signing of linebacker Jaylon Smith. Their practice squad is now full at 16 players.