Steelers Sign Former Eagles RB

The Pittsburgh Steelers are making a swap to their backfield, releasing veteran Cordarrelle Patterson and signing former Philadelphia Eagles runner Lew Nichols, the team announced.

Nichols, 23, started his NFL career as a seventh-round pick for the Green Bay Packers. From there, he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, spending the 2023 and 2024 seasons bouncing around on thier practice squad before being released prior to training camp this summer.

The Central Michigan product was the 2021 MAC Offensive Player of the Year and the MAC Offensive Freshman Player of the Year the season before. In 2021, he rushed for 1,848 yards and 16 touchdowns. He finished his career with 3,060 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Nichols will now get an opportunity to compete for a spot on the Steelers 53-man roster. With Jaylen Warren, Kaleb Johnson and Kenneth Gainwell being locks for the team, Nichols will join Trey Sermon and Evan Hull, looking to show the team they should keep a fourth runner, and why it should be them.

As for Patterson, he announced his release on the team the day prior to it being officially released. He spent last season as the team's kick returner and third-string runner, but averaged just 21.8 yards per return.

This season, Gainwell and Roman Wilson are most likely in line to take over as the team's kick returners.