PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – “We’ll see” that was the answer from Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy and Marquez Valdes-Scantling on whether the veteran receiver would be able to play on Sunday after being added to the practice squad on Tuesday.
Valdes-Scantling played five games with the Steelers last year, 10 catches for 80 yards and a touchdown in his second game. Although it’s an entirely different coaching staff, he played previously for McCarthy and had time last year, and in Green Bay, with Aaron Rodgers. He even knows tight end Bobby Tonyan from his Packers days.
MVS still has the ability to get downfield. So even if he could just add a few go routes it could at least keep a defense honest.
“Just trying to get my feet wet and see where it’s going to go,” Valdes-Scantling said.
Shortly after his release by the Chargers, Valdes-Scantling said he talked with Rodgers about the situation with the Steelers, a team definitely without two of it’s top five receivers and likely without three of the top five. Michael Pittman, Junior and Roman Wilson are on injured reserve and Ben Skowronek did not practice on Wednesday after missing the Tampa Bay game.
The 32-year-old said he is a quick study. That came out of necessity his first year in the NFL.
“It started back in my rookie year, as a fifth-round draft pick I had to do anything to make the team,” Valdes-Scantling said. “The way I learned was to learn everything. Learn from a quarterback’s perspective and learn all of the positions so I could be able to plug-and-play anywhere.”
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Coming from an 0-6 LA team to the 4-2 Steelers, Valdes-Scantling said he could feel the energy immediately in the building. He said it was nice to come to a winning space in what he called a full-circle moment being back with those who not only were his teammates last year, but those from a previous point in his life.
“I know he was here last year,” McCarthy said. “You could just see when he walked in the building, everybody's excited to have him back. So, it's great to have him a part of it.
“We'll see what happens.”
McCarthy said he’s excited to have him & will see what happens
McCarthy said he’s excited to have him & will see what happens
