Pittsburgh Steelers Make RB Move Before Bengals Game

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed veteran running back Travis Homer from the practice squad to the 53-man roster Saturday, a day before their Week 3 AFC North matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium, via the NFL transaction wire.

The move filled the opening created when the team placed rookie guard Gennings Dunker, a third-round pick out of Iowa in the 2026 draft, on injured reserve with a knee injury suffered in practice this week.

Dunker must miss at least four games. Pittsburgh also elevated running back Lew Nichols and defensive back Doneiko Slaughter from the practice squad for Sunday’s game; both will revert after the contest.

Homer’s promotion is more than a one-week elevation. The Steelers first signed him in March as an unrestricted free agent, then released him at final cuts and brought him back to the practice squad.

He was elevated last week against New England and returned to the practice squad after the game. This time he has a full roster spot.

The timing tracks with Pittsburgh’s backfield injuries. Rico Dowdle has been ruled out with a toe injury, and Jaylen Warren is listed as questionable with a shoulder issue.

Homer and Nichols give the Steelers extra depth behind Warren and rookie Eli Heidenreich. In last week’s loss to the Patriots, Homer played two offensive snaps and 10 special-teams snaps, rushing twice for 16 yards.

A sixth-round pick by Seattle in 2019 (No. 204 overall) out of Miami, Homer spent four seasons with the Seahawks and three with the Chicago Bears.

Over eight NFL seasons, he has appeared in 86 games with two starts, carrying 92 times for 490 yards and one touchdown and catching 55 passes for 475 yards and two scores.

His main value has long been on special teams, where he has compiled dozens of tackles and other contributions. He rushed for 1,995 yards in three college seasons at Miami.

For Sunday, Homer is expected to help on special teams first. Nichols, a former Central Michigan standout who impressed in preseason, is the more likely candidate for extra offensive touches if Warren is limited.

Either way, the Steelers wanted more bodies in the backfield for a 1 p.m. ET divisional game against a 2-0 Bengals team.

Homer’s path is familiar: cut, practice-squad stint, elevation, then a longer look when injuries hit.

Against Cincinnati, the eight-year veteran gets another chance to show he still belongs on a game-day roster.