Steelers promote Elijah Riley to the 53-active roster, release Josh Jackson

The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for their Week 16 prime time game vs. the Las Vegas Raiders at Acrisure Stadium, and they are making some roster moves ahead of the clash between the two 6-8 teams.

Well before the 8 p.m. ET kickoff, the Steelers announced they were signing safety Elijah Riley to the 53-man active roster. To create room on the roster for Riley, the Steelers released cornerback Josh Jackson.

This from the Steelers official Twitter account:

The move to sign Riley to the active roster is one which can be viewed in many ways. After three practice squad elevations, the maximum amount allowed by the NFL, the Steelers were forced to sign Riley to the active roster. Also, the decision to add Riley to the roster could mean starting safety Terrell Edmunds, who is listed as questionable leading into the game, isn’t healthy enough to play. It also could be the Steelers simply wanting some insurance for Edmunds if he tries to play and ultimately can’t.

As for Jackson, he now becomes a free agent and, if he clears waivers, could be signed by any team who is searching for his services. Jackson played sparingly in his time with the Steelers, most notably getting valuable snaps and experience in the team’s Week 6 win over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the team, especially the inactive list which is announced 1.5 hours before kickoff, to see if Edmunds can, or cannot, play vs. the Raiders.