Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers have elevated two players from the practice squad fore their Monday Night Football game against the Miami Dolphins, bringing defensive end and outside linebacker DeMarvin Leal and offensive lineman Jack Driscoll up for the Week 15 contest.
The call-ups will help replace players out due to injury at outside linebacker and along the offensive line, as T.J. Watt and Andrus Peat have both been ruled out for Monday’s game.
Leal, 25, has played in three games for the Steelers this season, all as a member of the active roster. This will be his first game dressed as a practice squad elevation.
The team’s third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Leal has been placed on waivers twice this season. He was first waived in August, clearing as the team made its final cuts to a 53-man roster at the end of the preseason in August.
He re-joined the practice squad and was recalled to the active roster on Sept. 17 after an injuries to Alex Highsmith and Malik Harrison. Leal played in three games for the Steelers, recording two tackles. He played on 17 snaps of defense and nine snaps of special teams. After Highsmith and Harrison returned to action, Leal was waived a second time on Nov. 6, again cleared, and re-signed to the practice squad.
With Watt out, Nick Herbig will start at left outside linebacker, making rookie fourth-round pick Jack Sawyer the top backup and Leal the fourth option.
Along the offensive line, Peat is out after suffering a concussion against the Baltimore Ravens last week. Dylan Cook is expected to make his first career start at left tackle, with Ryan McCollum, Spencer Anderson and Jack Driscoll set to serve as the three backup offensive linemen.
The Steelers signed Driscoll to their practice squad in late October. Originally a fourth-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020, he spent five seasons in Philadelphia, starting 18 games and playing in 67. He has ties to Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl, who was the vice president of player personnel for the Eagles when Driscoll was drafted.
Driscoll started one game for the Eagles last year. He played most of his snaps at right tackle and right guard in Philadelphia.
In addition to the two practice squad elevations, the Steelers also signed wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling from the practice squad to the 53-man roster and waived rookie wide receiver Ke’Shawn Williams.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Elevate Two from Practice Squad for Dolphins Game
