Pittsburgh Steelers Sign Former Texas Longhorns WR in Free Agency

The Pittsburgh Steelers are adding a former Texas Longhorns receiver to the roster ahead of a highly-anticipated season for the legendary franchise.

Dec 7, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin (left) reacts to safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (39) on the sidelines against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers are adding a potential depth piece in the receiver room for new quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields ahead of the 2024 season.

Per reports from NFL insider Aaron Wilson, Pittsburgh is signing former Texas Longhorns receiver Tarik Black to a one-year deal worth $795K. The Steelers confirmed the move with an official announcement.

Black, who spent the 2020 season with the Longhorns, played his first three years of college at Michigan. He originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts after the 2021 NFL Draft but stayed on the practice squad and never appeared in a regular-season game with the team.

Oct 31, 2020; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Tarik Black (0) in action against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports

During his only year in Austin, Black appeared in eight games while tallying 10 catches for 240 yards and one touchdown. He had five grabs for 80 yards and a score in season-opening 59-3 win over UTEP before making a few splash plays the rest of the year. He had a 72-yard catch in Texas' 27-16 win over Baylor, finishing that contest as the game's leading receiver.

Black, 26, made his NFL debut with the New York Jets in Week 18 of the 2021 season. He caught one pass for 10 yards and was targeted twice in a 27-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Jets released him from the practice squad near the end of the 2022 campaign.

He then joined the Baltimore Ravens practice squad in Jan. 2023 before being signed and released by the team multiple times over the course of the next year. However, he didn't appear in a regular-season game for the Ravens.

Should Black make Pittsburgh's final 53-man roster, he'd join a receiving room that's led by George Pickens along with Van Jefferson and recently-injured rookie Roman Wilson. Black could see some preseason action when the Steelers begin their three-game exhibition slate on Friday at 7 p.m. ET against the Houston Texans.