Pittsburgh Steelers sign veteran tight end MyCole Pruitt
The Pittsburgh Steelers made another addition to the 2024 roster on Thursday, signing veteran MyCole Pruitt, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The free agent tight end played the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, where new Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was his head coach.
Arthur Smith also coached Pruitt during his stint as the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator. The tight end spent four seasons with the Titans before making his move to Atlanta.
Joining the Steelers makes it his fifth team in 10 seasons. Pruitt entered the league as a fifth-round pick out of Southern Illinois. As a rookie, he played 16 games for the Minnesota Vikings before they waived him in 2016. The Chicago Bears picked him up and kept him for the remainder of the season. He began the 2017 season on the practice squad for the Houston Texans, then moved to the Titans practice squad.
Pruitt signed a one-year deal with the Titans for $2.5 million in 2020. He then signed a one-year deal for $1.1 million with the 49ers but they released him before the season, leaving him free to re-sign with the Titans.
Over his first nine seasons in the league, Pruitt, now 32, has 71 receptions and 748 yards with two touchdowns.
New jersey numbers for newcomers
The Pittsburgh Steelers revealed new jersey numbers for the team’s additions to the roster on Thursday. The unveiling includes a new number for former Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields. Fields, who previously wore No. 1 in Chicago, will wear No. 2 in Pittsburgh.
The team also announced quarterback Russell Wilson will wear No. 3, which is the same number he wore while with the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos. Third-string quarterback Kyle Allen will sport the No. 4 jersey.
Other new jersey numbers are No. 5 Cameron Johnston, No. 6 Patrick Queen, No. 11 Van Jefferson, No. 16 Quez Watkins, No. 25 Deshon Elliott, No. 26 Donte Jackson, No. 84 Cordarrelle Patterson and No. 94 Dean Lowery. Not all the new additions have had to change their numbers after signing with the Steelers. Patrick Queen, for example, played all four years of his rookie deal in the No. 6 for Baltimore.
More on the 2024 NFL offseason, free agency
The NFL 2024 calendar year begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 13. At that time, contracts running through 2023 officially run out, making those players free agents. Prior to the beginning of free agency, teams will have a chance to designate one franchise or transition tag player, starting on Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. ET and ending on March 5. Beginning March 11 through March 13 teams can enter into a legal negotiation with players who will become unrestricted free agents.
In addition to NFL free agency, the new year also marks the beginning of all trades being made official by the league office. April 19 marks the deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets. On April 24, the deadline for teams to match restricted free agent offers sheets hits. Following the restricted free agent deadline follows the 2024 NFL Draft, which runs from April 25-27.