Steelers Quickly Replace Robert Woods With WR Reunion

With Week 1 of the 2025-26 NFL season arriving, the Pittsburgh Steelers are ensuring they’re well-insulated in the case of injury. The franchise is adding to its talent pool, albeit at the expense of some recent cuts.

Per a September 3 announcement from the team, the Steelers are reuniting with wide receiver Lance McCutcheon. He’s signed to the practice squad and will join linebacker Jon Rhattigan following his visit.

McCutcheon takes the spot of the released Robert Woods, who requested out during the week. Rhattigan essentially fills the void left by the release of offensive lineman Aiden Williams.

Steelers Reunite With Lance McCutcheon to Take Robert Woods’ Spot

It’s a simple one-for-one swap regarding McCutcheon and Woods. Given that the latter is a veteran on the back nine of his career, he wanted a chance to play. That simply won’t happen in Pittsburgh, barring a slew of injuries.

Woods struggled during the preseason and saw fellow vets like Scotty Miller soar up the ranks and make the 53-man roster. Now, he gets an opportunity to latch on elsewhere and McCutcheon returns to a familiar environment.

McCutcheon, a 2022 undrafted free agent, got his first big break with the Los Angeles Rams. Playing in 10 games that year, he primarily logged special teams reps. He had 56 offensive snaps and 110 special teams reps. After briefly signing with the New York Jets a year ago, the Montana State product found his way to Pittsburgh in October of 2024.

This offseason allowed McCutcheon to build chemistry with the organization. That included quarterback Aaron Rodgers, although he didn’t get to catch passes from him this preseason. The 26-year-old wideout did play, though, hauling in 5 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown. He was one of the team’s better receiving options.

For now, there isn’t a spot for McCutcheon on the active roster. All it takes is one play or practice rep for that to change, however, and it’s a good thing for both sides that he’s back.

Aiden Williams Released by Pittsburgh Ahead of Week 1 Play

This is the end of the line for Williams in Pittsburgh, at least temporarily. With that said, it likely isn’t his last chance to leave an impression on a team. The Minnesota-Duluth alum is a tantalizing athlete, boasting requisite size to be a tackle or a guard. His overall athletic profile was among the best in this year’s NFL Draft class.

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After going unpicked in April, Williams signed with the Steelers. He was subsequently waived at mandatory roster cutdowns, only to revert to the practice squad. Now, he finds himself looking for work elsewhere.

Williams played guard during the preseason. Pro Football Focus loved his performance, giving him a 76.7 overall grade with a shiny 82.5 pass blocking mark. Among guards with 50-plus snaps in the month of August, the latter figure ranked fifth. His overall grade (13th) and run blocking grade (70.9; 24th) also slotted in high on the leaderboard.

With a Sunday showdown against the Jets quickly approaching, the Steelers are still looking to get a leg up on the competition.

Charlie Lindgren and Declan Chisholm Lead Capitals' Early Skates as Training Camp Approaches

The Capitals continue to welcome players back to DC with less than two weeks to go before the start of training camp. Goaltender Charlie Lindgren and offseason acquisition Declan Chisholm were both on the ice Saturday morning, joining a group of teammates for an informal skate at MedStar Capitals Iceplex.

Other participants at the skate included Martin Fehervary, Ryan Leonard, Andrew Cristall, Aliaksei and Ilya Protas, Ludwig Persson, Eriks Mateiko, Mitch Gibson, and Ryan Chesley. Capitals skills coach Kenny McCudden led the on-ice skills session.

Alex Ovechkin is expected to join his teammates soon as a report from Match TV said he planned to fly back to DC on Friday.

After signing a three-year extension in March, Lindgren is set to kick off his new deal this fall alongside goaltending partner Logan Thompson. The pair spent much of the 2024-25 season alternating starts before Thompson emerged as the team’s primary starter, playing in all 10 of Washington’s playoff games this spring.

Lindgren posted a record of 20-14-3 in 2024-25, earning a .896 save percentage and a 2.73 goals-against average. Though he admitted some frustration with his statistics during the season — especially after a breakout year in 2023-24, he told reporters at the team’s breakdown day in May that he was ultimately happy with his performance.

“I think took another step forward this year,” he said then. “Three years in Washington, it’s been an absolute treat. Couldn’t be more thrilled that I’ll be back here in September to continue on this journey with a lot of the same guys that were on the team this year.”

The Capitals traded for Chisholm at the 2025 NHL Draft amid a largely quiet offseason, acquiring the 25-year-old defenseman and a sixth-round pick from the Minnesota Wild for Hershey Bears defenseman Chase Priskie and a fourth-round pick. Chisholm played 66 games for Minnesota last season, recording 12 points (2g, 10a), and saw his team earn 51.1 percent of shot attempts and 53.9 percent of expected goals while on the ice at five-on-five.

With a large salary cap increase raising the price of unrestricted free agents, general manager Chris Patrick saw the trade as an opportunity to add depth without breaking the bank.

“(He’s) a guy who we can have a little control over the contract here, because he’s an RFA,” Patrick said in June. “We wanted to address our defensive depth this offseason, and if you go into the free agent market, you don’t have control over the costs. We thought this was a good chance to try to do that. We like where he’s trending as a player. Again, another guy that’s the right age, and I think he’s got a real good opportunity here to continue to build on what he was doing in Minnesota.”

Washington’s official preseason activities will kick off later this week with the start of Rookie Camp on Friday at McMullen Hockey Arena in Annapolis, Md. Those participants will join the rest of the team back at MedStar Capitals Iceplex for Training Camp on September 18.