Ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 11 game with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team announced defensive lineman Chris Wormley has been activated from the Reserve/Injured List. In a corresponding move, safety Antoine Brooks Jr. has returned to the practice squad.
We have activated DL Chris Wormley to the 53-man roster.@BordasLaw https://t.co/XwvNWKXsyZ
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 21, 2020
Wormley was acquired by the Steelers this past offseason from the Baltimore Ravens for a 2021 5th-round draft pick. The Steelers also received the Ravens 2021 7th-round draft pick as well as Wormley. Playing collegiately for the University of Michigan, Wormley was drafted by the Ravens in the third round of the 2017 draft 12 picks after the Steelers selected wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and 20 selections before the Steelers drafted cornerback Cameron Sutton.
Injured in the Steelers matchup against the Tennessee Titans in Week 7, Wormley was placed on IR just prior to the Steelers Week 8 game against his former team. In six games before landing on the IR, Wormley played in 51 defensive snaps with three tackles and two quarterback hits. The most snaps Wormley has played in a game in 2020 was 11 in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns.
Although Wormley has not seen as much playing time as he did in Baltimore, his overall play as part of the Steelers elite defensive line has been graded much higher according to Pro Football Focus. Wormley currently has an 83.3 overall score by PFF which is more than 20 points higher than his 2019 grade.
To make room on the 53-man roster for the return of Wormley, the Steelers were able to put rookie Antoine Brooks Jr. back onto the practice squad since he was promoted last week due to COVID-19 protocols. Since Kevin Dotson went on the Reserve/COVID-19 list last Saturday, Brooks was able to come up for the game and then return to the practice squad without having to go through waivers. According to the team roster on Steelers.com, Brooks was still listed on the 53-man roster until the activation of Wormley.
Stay tuned to Behind The Steel Curtain for continued coverage as a Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday at TIAA Bank Field.