The Pittsburgh Steelers kept working the edges of their roster as Week 1 of the 2026 regular season approaches, adding three more names to the practice squad after already filling 13 spots following cutdown day.
The latest additions are defensive back Car'lin Vigers, wide receiver Brandon Johnson and linebacker Bradyn Swinson. With those moves, the Steelers have now completed their practice squad.
Vigers is still chasing the kind of opening that turns a workout stop into something more permanent. He landed on the Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List after his senior season in college, which helped put him on the league’s radar.
He went undrafted in 2025, then signed with the Washington Commanders for part of last season before spending time on their practice squad and being released recently. At 6'2" and 200 pounds, the 26-year-old brings the kind of size and length teams like to see on the back end.
Johnson is back in a familiar place. This is the third time he has signed with the Steelers’ practice squad, after previous stints in 2024 and 2025.
He appeared in two games in 2024, but has not played in a game for Pittsburgh since then. Across his NFL stops with the Steelers, Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Johnson has played in 23 games and posted 26 catches for 335 yards and five touchdowns.
The Steelers know what he offers: a big receiver with quickness and reliable hands, the kind of depth piece who can step in if they need a fourth or fifth wideout in 2026.
Swinson may be the most intriguing of the three. The New England Patriots took him in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he spent time on both their active roster and practice squad last season.
A former LSU and Oregon standout, the 24-year-old arrives with more upside than most practice-squad additions. If he develops, he could end up looking like a strong find for Pittsburgh.
With the practice squad filled out, the Steelers now have 69 players between the active roster and the practice squad. The only question left is how many more moves they make before Week 1.
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