The Pittsburgh Steelers, who are at a record of 5-3, officially announced on Thursday that they have signed Brodric Martin-Rhodes to their 53-man roster. As per their post on their social media handle X;

“We have signed DT Brodric Martin-Rhodes to the Active Roster off the Kansas City Practice Squad. @BordasLaw”

This move fills a crucial depth need after defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale was lost for the season with a torn ACL and placed on Injured Reserve on October 31st. Martin-Rhodes, originally a third-round (96th overall) pick by the Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFL Draft, offers experience, having appeared in five career NFL games with four recorded tackles. 

The signing follows a period where the Steelers had been carrying only 52 players, and it is reported that Steelers defensive line coach Karl Dunbar’s prior interest in Martin-Rhodes, stemming from his Pro Day performance, played a role in the decision to secure him for the unit.

With Brodric Martin-Rhodes as their defense now, and their next game is on November 9th against the Los Angeles Chargers, who are coming into the game with a score of 6-3, there is a good chance he will be immediately active and available for the Sunday Night Football game against the Chargers.

How are the Steelers planning to overcome their weakness moving into week 10?

The Steelers walked into the game against the Indianapolis Colts, the league’s top offense, with a huge problem: their safety position was a mess. They’d used five different starting safety combinations in just eight games due to injuries and sickness.

But that changed fast. They just acquired Kyle Dugger from the Patriots last Thursday. Coach Mike Tomlin basically threw him right into the fire, and it worked. To help the newcomer, Tomlin made sure Jalen Ramsey stayed put at free safety all game to guide him. Dugger played almost every defensive snap (77 out of 78!) at strong safety, proving his conditioning was solid.

Tomlin is breathing a sigh of relief. The defense finally seems settled, and he’s excited to see what Dugger can do against the Los Angeles Chargers this Sunday night now that he’s had a few proper practices with the team. It looks like the constant safety shuffle might finally be over.

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On the offensive side, the team, which has struggled to move the ball all year, signed veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdez-Scantling to the practice squad. Since Valdez-Scantling used to play with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, many hoped he could be the quick upgrade the offense desperately needs for more balance.

However, don’t get your hopes up if you’re a Steelers fan. Coach Tomlin was immediately dismissive when talking to the media. He completely downplayed the signing, saying he doesn’t expect Valdez-Scantling to contribute anytime soon and essentially calling him just a practice squad guy.