Steelers release Donte Moncrief, promote practice-squad running back
The tenure is over for what will go down as one of the worst free-agent signings in Pittsburgh Steelers history.
Veteran receiver Donte Moncrief was released Saturday, less than eight months after signing a two-year, $9 million contract to, in part, replace Antonio Brown. A 6-foot-2 and with good speed, Moncrief looked the part during training camp until a finger injury limited his practice time.
His regular-season Steelers debut was a nightmare: four dropped passes, three catches for seven yards. He let another ball go through his hands for an interception during Week 2 and from that point was an afterthought in the offense.
Donte Moncrief keeps his eye on the ball.
Really needs to work on keeping his hands on the ball next. pic.twitter.com/Ix6i7E5OQd
— Barstool Sports (@BarstoolsTweets) September 15, 2019
A six-year veteran with 204 career catches, Moncrief was inactive for two of the next three games and dressed only after an injury to James Washington. The Steelers are healthy at wide receiver.
After the debut in which he played 90% of the offensive snaps, Moncrief had just one catch (for 11 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers) for the duration of his time with the Steelers.
By releasing Moncrief prior to Week 10, his free-agent signing will not count against the Steelers in the formula of distributing compensatory draft picks. Moncrief’s release, potentially, will result in the Steelers getting another mid-round draft choice, a development that makes Saturday’s move not unexpected.
What also was anticipated was the addition of a running back to the active roster. The Steelers promoted Tony Brooks-James from their practice squad. The former Oregon running back was signed to their practice squad Oct. 15.
With rookie Benny Snell out because of knee surgery and starter James Conner likely out because of a shoulder injury, the Steelers were down to only Jaylen Samuels and Trey Edmunds at running back for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Samuels hasn’t played in four weeks because of knee surgery. Edmunds has 10 carries in three NFL seasons.
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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