The Pittsburgh Steelers preparing for their final game at Acrisure Stadium for the 2023 NFL season. Facing the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday at 4:30 PM, the Steelers are dealing with multiple players out at the safety and inside linebacker positions. For this reason, the Steelers have made several roster moves ahead of Week 16.

We have activated S Elijah Riley from the Reserve/Injured List to the active roster, signed LB Kyron Johnson to the active roster & elevated LB Myles Jack & S Eric Rowe to the Active/Inactive roster from the practice squad. @BordasLaw https://t.co/TnaU79aUC3

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) December 22, 2023

With his suspension being upheld this week for the remainder of the regular season, safety Damontae Kazee has been moved to the Reserve/Suspended List. With the Steelers also releasing running back Anthony McFarland on Thursday, this opened up two roster spots on the 53-man roster. Filling those spots are safety Elijah Riley, who is coming off the Reserve/Injured List (IR), and linebacker Tyron Johnson. Additionally, the Steelers have elevated safety Eric Rowe and linebacker Myles Jack from the practice squad.

Missing the last four games after being placed on IR with a high ankle sprain, Elijah Riley appeared in the Steelers first 10 games of the season playing a significant number of snaps on special teams each week. When it comes to snaps on defense, Riley only has 40 snaps spread out through three different games. Riley had 10 snaps in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns where he had a sack in the game. Against Green Bay Riley played 21 snaps and had three tackles. In the Steelers Week 11 matchup against the Browns, Riley played another nine defensive snaps with three tackles before getting injured.

After being elevated from the practice squad the previous three games for the Steelers, Tyron Johnson joins the Steelers 53-man roster despite not playing any defensive snaps. But with the need for more special teams players, Johnson has played 48 special team snaps over the last three contests.

A second round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015, Eric Rowe has eight years of NFL experience where he’s played 100 career games with 56 starts and was a member of the New England Patriots 2016 Super Bowl winning squad. In his regular season career, Rowe has five interceptions with one return for touchdown, 41 passes defensed, 381 tackles, and 2.0 sacks.

After starting 13 games for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, Myles Jack retired this past preseason after spending some time in training camp with the Philadelphia Eagles. Coming out of retirement to join the Steelers practice squad in late November, Jack is getting his first opportunity of 2023 two fill out the patchwork unit of inside linebackers on the Steelers that have been decimated by injury. With the Steelers last season, Jack had 104 tackles and three passes defensed.

Stay tuned to Steel Curtain Network for continued coverage of the Pittsburgh Steelers as they prepare to face the Cincinnati Bengals in their final home game of the 2023 season on Saturday at 4:30 PM.