The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to sign punter Jordan Berry to their practice squad as insurance after an injury to starter Pressley Harvin III in the team’s Week 3 loss to the Cleveland Browns.
Steelers Radio Network host Gerry Dulac first reported the news.
Berry was the team’s primary punter from 2015-20, averaging 44.4 yards per punt in his time with the Steelers. After the club drafted Harvin in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the released Berry at the outset of training camp.
Berry signed with the Minnesota Vikings and topped his career average with the Vikes, averring 46.5 yards per kick in 17 games in Minnesota. Once again, Berry was ousted by a youngster, as the Vikings chose to go with undrafted free agent Ryan Wright instead of the veteran coming out of training camp this year.
Harvin has showed significant promise but also inconsistency since taking over as the Steelers primary punter. He averaged just 42.6 yards per punt in 2021, but improved that significantly to a 47.4-yard average through the first three games of the 2022 season. Harvin currently leads the NFL with 17 punts.
Against Cleveland on Thursday night, Harvin kicked through a significant wind, with punts of 45, 48, 48, 32 and 39 yards, with two downed inside the Cleveland 20.
The Steelers will have to clear a roster spot on their practice squad in order to sign Berry. The fact that Berry is first only being added to the practice squad suggests that it is not a long-term injury for Harvin.
The Steelers had carried an extra punter and kicker on their expanded practice squad for most of the last two years due to the threat of COVID-19. With that threat gone, the team has not had a second punter since releasing rookie free agent Cameron Nizialek early in the cut-down process.