The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to their active roster, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac. Valdes-Scantling was elevated for the team’s game a week ago against the Baltimore Ravens from the practice squad.
Valdes-Scantling played 16 snaps and had just one target in his first game with the Steelers, but now will get the opportunity to show he can do more.
“It’s a new system, so I’m trying to jump in,” Valdes-Scantling said. “Learn as much as you can. Obviously, I played with Aaron for four years, so there’s some carryover to the way that he likes to do things, but the system is completely different.”
Pittsburgh tried to sign him in August, but he chose the San Francisco 49ers instead.
After an injury, he landed on injured reserve and was released. Now, the Steelers will try to get him acclimated into the offense and add another playmaker to the group.
Valdes-Scantling, 30, played for two teams last season, the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints. Across both teams, he had 19 catches for 411 yards and four touchdowns. A big play threat, Valdes-Scantling averaged 21.6 yards per reception.
To start off his career, Valdes-Scantling played with Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers from 2018 through 2021. He had over 400 receiving yards in all of those years, including a career-high 690 receiving yards in 2020.
Valdes-Scantling can play outside or inside, but has mostly played as the team’s Z-receiver. A 6-foot-4, 210 pound wide receiver, Valdes-Scantling ran a 4.37 40-yard dash coming out of USF in the 2018 NFL Draft.
