The Pittsburgh Steelers have released punter Jordan Berry from their practice squad, the team announced on Tuesday as part of four practice squad transactions.
Berry had been added last week after starting punter Pressley Harvin III suffered left hip inflammation in the Steelers’ Week 3 game against the Cleveland Browns.
Harvin had an up-and-down game against the New York Jets in Week 4. His punts traveled 35, 51, 36 and 36 yards. None of them were returned and the Jets got a holding penalty on one return, leaving Harvin with two downed inside the 20-yard line.
But his 39.5 yards per punt average was not impressive, and healthy or not, Harvin has not quite lived up to his billing from when the Steelers drafted him in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Harvin has averaged 43.3 yards per punt in his 19-game NFL career. Berry averaged better in each of his last four seasons, but has now been cut three times in 14 months and is again looking for work, as it appears the Steelers will not entertain a challenge to their banged-up punter.
After releasing Berry, the Steelers re-signed center Ryan McCollum to their practice squad, and added safety Scott Nelson as a bulwark for what could be a significant number of injuries in the secondary.
Nelson, 23 is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound rookie from Wisconsin. He spent the 2022 offseason and preseason with the Seattle Seahawks, recording seven tackles, including three against the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on Aug. 13.
Strong safety Terrell Edmunds is in the concussion protocol and his status for this week’s game against the Buffalo Bills is unknown. Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon is out with a hamstring injury, while cornerback Cam Sutton and free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick are expected to at least be limited in practice this week with ailments of their own.
Nelson will cornerbacks Mark Gilbert, Josh Jackson and Quincy Williams and safety Elijah Riley as options to be elevated from the practice squad this week.
In addition to Berry, the Steelers released wide receiver Jaquarii Roberson, who spent three weeks with the team over two stints in September.