Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed free agent wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling after his visit with the team on Monday, according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Valdes-Scantling, 31, was a fifth-round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2018 and spent the first four years of his career playing with current Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
He 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 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.
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.
“He wanted me back over there,” Valdes-Scantling said via Barrows.
The 6-foot-4, 206-pound receiver ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash coming out of South Florida in 2018, and has remained a dangerous deep threat, if not a high-volume target. His 17.4 yards per catch over the course of his career makes him the active NFL leader in that category.
The Steelers have been seeking help at the wide receiver position since trading George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in May. Valdes-Scantling will bring deep threat ability and experience to a Steelers wide receivers room that lacks both, but will not be a high-volume player at this point in his career. His last game with five or more receptions was on Oct. 10, 2022, when he was with the Kansas City Chiefs.
His career best season came back in 2020 with Rodgers in Green Bay, Valdes-Scantling set career highs in receiving yards (690) and touchdowns (6) while making 12 starts.
Chris Ward contributed.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Sign 2-Time Super Bowl Champion WR, Reunite Him with Aaron Rodgers
