An NFL roster is an ever-evolving entity throughout the regular season. Although the primary focus is on the Pittsburgh Steelers and the roster moves they make, sometimes players who were once with the Black & Gold can land in another location with a notable opponent.

On Tuesday, former Steelers tight end Zach Gentry is reportedly signing with the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad. This per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Former #Steelers TE Zach Gentry is staying in the AFC North and signing with the #Bengals practice squad, per source.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 5, 2023

Drafted in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Michigan, Zach Gentry was the second of two picks the Steelers received from the then Oakland Raiders in exchange for Antonio Brown. The former quarterback spent four seasons with the Steelers but only appeared in six games the first two seasons as he missed most of 2020 due to injury. But over the last two seasons, Gentry appeared in all 34 regular season games and had 25 starts with 19 receptions each season. Gentry had 167 receiving yards in 2021 and 132 receiving yards in 2022 but had no touchdowns in his time with the Steelers.

Used primarily as the Steelers blocking tight end, Gentry was a free agent during the 2023 offseason. But prior to the NFL draft, what Gentry signed a “four year player qualifying contract” with the Steelers which was a one-year deal that paid him at a higher rate than what he counted against the salary cap. But with the drafting of Darnell Washington, Gentry found himself the odd man out of the tight end room when it came to making the Steelers 53-man roster.

While some believed the Gentry was a candidate to land on the Steelers practice squad, the Steelers were able to get the up-and-coming Rodney Williams through waivers and was subsequently signed in their first wave of players. Although there was nothing keeping the Steelers from signing gentry to the practice squad, the Steelers filled their squad over the next several days.

Whether or not Gentry was willing to sign to the Steelers practice squad is only speculation at this time. But in the course of a week, Zach Gentry went from what many believed to be a surprise cut on the Steelers 53-man roster, to left off the Steelers practice squad, and now landing in Cincinnati.

Stay tuned to Steel Curtain Network’s continued coverage of the Pittsburgh Steelers as they prepare to face the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday at 1PM at Acrisure Stadium.