The Steelers hosted former Ravens wide receiver James Proche on a workout on Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston reported. The tryout comes on the heels of the Steelers losing wide receiver Simi Fehoko off the practice squad to the Chargers, who poached him. Jacob Copeland and Deuce Watts remain the two receivers on the practice squad, with six receivers on the active roster.
The group runs a four-deep rotation with Gunner Olszewski in concussion protocol and Diontae Johnson on injured reserve. Proche is a more veteran option for the Steelers. The Ravens selected Proche in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and he stayed with the team through the 2022 season. However, they cut ties and moved on following the 2023 preseason.
Over his three seasons with the group, he racked up 278 yards on 25 receptions. In addition, Proche posted 244 return yards as a returner, which is a bonus for anyone on the practice squad. His best season came in 2021, where he scored 202 yards on 16 receptions in 14 games.
Coming out of SMU in 2020, Proche ran a 4.4 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. The 5-foot-10, 201-pound receiver posted a 7.27 3-cone drill, 34.5-inch vertical jump, and 20 bench press reps in Indianapolis. But his tape at SMU caught the intrigue of many teams throughout the process.
Proche was named a second-team All-American in his final collegiate season after racking up 1225 yards and 15 touchdowns. He led the entire country with 112 receptions. That followed up a year where he posted 1199 yards on 93 receptions, earning First-Team All-ACC honors in back-to-back years.
Proche, 27, has not latched onto a team’s practice squad since his release from the Ravens. The Steelers have two spots on the practice squad after releasing cornerback Kalon Barnes. Fehoko being swiped by the Chargers opens the door for another receiver to take that spot.
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