Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — During his Tuesday press conference, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin minimized the Steelers’ acquisition of veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and said it would not stop them from pursuing another WR.
“He’s just a practice squadder right now. We’ll get him in the fold and get him working,” Tomlin said.
The Steelers officially announced the signing of MVS on Tuesday. The veteran WR reunites with former teammate Aaron Rodgers in the Steel City.
Rodgers said last week that MVS is one of his favorite teammates of all-time. Despite the past history between the two, Tomlin said Rodgers did not help with the signing.
“He did not,” Tomlin simply stated.
According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, Rodgers tried to recruit Valdes-Scantling to the Steelers before the free agent wide receiver ultimately decided to join the San Francisco 49ers in August.
“He wanted me back over there,” Valdes-Scantling said via Barrows.
Rodgers was teammates with MVS for four seasons in Green Bay. In 2020 with Rodgers, Valdes-Scantling set career highs in receiving yards (690) and touchdowns (6) while making 12 starts. He also had a career high 20.9 yards per catch that season.
After four seasons in Green Bay, Valdes-Scantling then moved on to the Kansas City Chiefs, winning back-to-back Super Bowls in 2022 and 2023. He spent time with the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints last season. This year, he signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks that had $1.5 million guaranteed before being released by the Seahawks in late August as part of that team’s cut down to 53 players. Seattle is still paying Valdes-Scantling his guarantees.
At that point, he considered offers from both the Steelers and San Francisco 49ers, according to a report by Aaron Wilson of KPRC-TV. He signed with San Francisco and appeared in five games with the 49ers, catching four passes for 40 yards. On Oct. 17, Valdes-Scantling was placed on injured reserve due to a calf injury, and released the next day.
Valdes-Scantling gives the Steelers another option at wide receiver, but it’s clear that they’re aiming higher in regard to bolstering their WR corps.
One of the Steelers’ potential wide receiver targets, Jakobi Meyers, is now off the board. The Las Vegas Raiders traded him to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for fourth- and sixth-round picks on Tuesday.
Adding a No. 2 wide receiver has been a need for the Steelers since they traded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in May.
When asked if the Steelers are still shopping with less than four hours to the trade deadline, Tomlin replied, “We’ll see what happens. I like shopping.”
Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Mike Tomlin Downplays Marquez Valdes-Scantling Signing
