The Pittsburgh Steelers cut wide receiver Colton Dowell just 48 hours after claiming him off waivers. To fill the spot, they’ve signed UFL standout Isaiah Winstead, who briefly shared a Jets preseason roster with Aaron Rodgers in 2024.

“The Pittsburgh #Steelers are signing Louisville #Kings WR Isaiah Winstead, per source,” PFN’s James Larsen reported on X. “[He] was one of Louisville’s top targets during a championship run.”

Winstead was last on an NFL roster with the Jets in August 2024, appearing in preseason games before being waived during final cuts. He later played for the Louisville Kings in the 2026 UFL season. Rodgers started for the Jets that year, but the team finished 5-12.

For Winstead, this is another chance to prove himself in an NFL camp. The 27-year-old played college football at Toledo, East Carolina, and Norfolk State. At ECU, he led the team with 88 catches for 1,085 yards and six touchdowns.

But his draft hopes collapsed after running a 4.7-second 40-yard dash at his pro day. He spent 2023 on the 49ers’ practice squad before being released in December.

Now, Pittsburgh has signed him to compete for a practice-squad role again after releasing A.T. Perry and then Dowell. With preseason approaching, Winstead must show he can overcome questions about his speed and carve out a roster spot.

Steelers Set to Face Packers, But Will Aaron Rodgers Play?

The Steelers’ first preseason game is against the Green Bay Packers on August 13 at Acrisure Stadium. Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy spent over a decade together in Green Bay, and now they’ll face the franchise as opponents.

But the question is, will we get to see Rodgers suiting up for the preseason game?

“He (wants me out there for) 30 or 40 plays,” Rodgers told Mike Silver of The Athletic. “I said, ‘Mike, if you want me to play, I’ll play.’ I’m not saying I want to do it. But if he wants me to, I will.”

The veteran quarterback has not played much in the preseason since 2018, and interestingly, that was the last time McCarthy and Rodgers played together at Green Bay. Last year, under former head coach Mike Tomlin, Rodgers did not play in any preseason games.

“Those decisions are really gonna be made once we get up to it,” McCarthy said. “Trust me, I have a lot of ideas…We have plans, but being a healthy system, let’s see what happens. A lot can happen between now and [then].”

For Rodgers, it’s a chance to face his old team. For Winstead, it’s his first real shot to prove he belongs in the NFL again.