Sep 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Smith (87) after the game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Steelers Sign Two More Players as Offseason Begins

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated Jan 16, 2026 7:32 AM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers continue adding players on reserve/futures contracts as they kick off their offseason.

A day after inking 13 players to futures deals , Pittsburgh circled back around and signed offensive lineman Doug Nester as well as wide receiver Brandon Smith.

Futures contracts are reserved for players who are not on a 53-man roster at the end of the regular season. Teams can sign as many players to those types of deals as they want before reaching the 90-player roster limit that is imposed at the beginning of each new league year.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Nester Returns to Pittsburgh

Nester made 52 starts during his collegiate career, which he spent between Virginia Tech and West Virginia, before entering the 2024 NFL Draft once he ran out of eligibility.

The Steelers signed him after he went undrafted, and he played a total of 85 snaps in the 2024 preseason between right tackle and special teams, per Pro Football Focus.

That wasn't enough for him to earn a 53-man roster spot, though, and he signed to Pittsburgh's practice squad after going unclaimed on waivers.

After spending his entire rookie season there, the Steelers signed Nester to a futures deal last January. He logged a total of 132 snaps during the preseason, with all of his offensive reps coming at left (86) and right guard (33), but he was let go before final roster cuts.

The 25-year-old later signed to Pittsburgh's practice squad in December and remained there for the rest of the season.

WR/Special Teams Depth with Smith

Smith's NFL career kicked off as a member of the Dallas Cowboys in 2021 after going undrafted out of Iowa.

He spent the following two seasons on the team's practice squad without finding his way into a regular season contest.

Smith played for the XFL's DC Defenders in the spring of 2023 and spent that year's preseason with the Arizona Cardinals, but he did not make the team's 53-man roster.

After a second stint with the Defenders in 2024, Smith signed with the New York Jets in August 2024. He was let go at final roster cuts, but he signed to the team's practice squad and made his regular season debut in Week 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Smith signed a futures contract with the Jets last January and returned to their practice squad after being cut back in August.

He appeared in two games for New York this past season and logged a total of 21 snaps over that stretch.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: