The Steelers made the anticipated signing of Ben Tate official this afternoon. Tate will wear #34. To make room on the roster for the signing, the team has released WR Justin Brown.
Veteran RB Ben Tate signed by @Steelers. To make room on the 53, team waived WR Justin Brown.
— Bob Labriola (@BobLabriola) December 30, 2014
The release of Justin Brown makes a lot of sense, considering he hasn’t worn a helmet since week 6.
The 26 year old Tate has a career total of 540 carries, 2,363 yards rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. He has also seen a fair amount of use in the passing game. He totals 67 pass receptions for a total of 347 yards over the course of his career.
With the status of Le’Veon Bell uncertain, adding a solid veteran this week is prudent. During his press conference, Coach Tomlin said that he believes Tate can contribute this Saturday, but it remains to be seen just how ready he can be with such short prep time.