Steelers get a practice squad player back from injury while another lands on the Covid List

The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to make moves in regards to their 2021 practice squad as they have now had three players land on the Practice Squad/COVID-19 List this week. The latest player, wide receiver Tyler Vaughns, joins safety Karl Joseph and wide receivers Anthony Miller and Steven Sims on the list. As yet another wide receiver is unavailable for the Steelers, another returns from injury as Rico Bussey has been taken off of the Practice Squad/Injured list.

Rico Bussey was an undrafted free agent for the Steelers in 2021. Appearing in two preseason games, Bussey had a total of five receptions for 49 yards on five targets. Bussey showed enough to the Steelers in training camp to land on the practice squad for 2021 only to end up with an injured ankle which landed him on the Practice Squad/Injured List prior to Week 1.

Playing four seasons at North Texas from 2016 through 2019, Rico Bussey only had two games his senior year before suffering an ACL injury. Playing the 2020 season in Hawaii, Bussey had 159 receptions and 2,215 yards and 22 touchdown receptions between the two programs. His best season came in his junior year at North Texas in 2018 where in 12 games Busey had 67 receptions for 1,017 yards and 12 touchdowns. In his final year at Hawaii, Bussey had 31 receptions for 274 yards and one touchdown in seven games.

With wide receiver Tyler Vaughns, who has been on the Steelers practice squad all season, landing on the Practice Squad/COVID-19 list, the Steelers were down to one wide receiver on the squad in Damion Willis who had only been signed on Tuesday. Bussey now gives the Steelers a second option from the reserve unit as practice kicks off on Thursday.

As the number of players on the Covid List continues to rise across the league, so far the Steelers have only been affected by practice squad players going on the list for Week 17. The Steelers still have five players from the active roster who are on the Reserve/COVID-19 List in Marcus Allen, Zach Banner, Isaiah Buggs, Devin Bush, and Anthony McFarland Jr.

Stay tuned to Behind The Steel Curtain as the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to host the Cleveland Browns this Monday night at Heinz Field.