Steelers activate Ulysees Gilbert III, place Robert Spillane on injured reserve
The Pittsburgh Steelers have added reinforcements at inside linebacker for their game Sunday night at the Buffalo Bills.
With only two healthy players available at the position, the Steelers activated Ulysees Gilbert from injured reserve and promoted Tegray Scales from the practice squad Saturday.
Avery Williamson, acquired in a trade with the New York Jets on Nov. 2, and converted safety Marcus Allen are the other inside linebackers on the roster.
To make room for Gilbert on the 53-man roster, the Steelers placed inside linebacker Robert Spillane on injured reserve. Spillane injured his knee in the third quarter Monday against Washington, and he won’t be eligible to return until the season finale Jan. 2 at Cleveland.
Spillane moved into a starting role after Devin Bush sustained a torn ACL that ended his season. The Steelers’ other starting linebacker entering the season, veteran Vince Williams, was placed on the reserve/covid-19 list earlier this week.
Gilbert had been on injured reserve since Nov. 4 with a back injury. He was inactive for five of the first seven games this season. Scales spent the 2019 training camp with the Steelers, and he was signed to the practice squad in November.
Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.
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