The Pittsburgh Steelers acted quickly to fill an open practice squad spot after making three cuts at the 2024 NFL trade deadline.
“Steelers have signed former [Cincinnati] Bengals defensive tackle Domenique Davis to their practice squad,” reported Alan Saunders of Steelers Now on X. “Davis played D-II football and spent time in the USFL before joining Cincinnati, where he remained for 2 1/2 seasons.”
KPRC 2 NFL insider Aaron Wilson also confirmed the signing on November 5.
Davis entered the league as an undrafted rookie from North Carolina-Pembroke in 2020, initially signing with the New York Jets but being cut that same summer.
Following his release, Davis left the NFL temporarily, playing with the TSL Jousters in The Spring League. In spring 2022, he joined the USFL’s Houston Gamblers, returning to the NFL later that summer.
Davis then found a role with the Bengals, staying from 2022 through part of 2024.
Though popular with the Bengals’ staff, Davis appeared in only two regular season games, serving mainly as depth for the organization. His career regular season stats include three tackles and 1.5 preseason sacks, though he has yet to record a regular season sack. During his time with the Gamblers, he registered 3.5 sacks.
Steelers Add Depth to Defensive Tackle Amid Adams’ IR Status
The Steelers signed Davis to reinforce their defensive line depth after veteran Montravius Adams was placed on injured reserve. He’ll back up Keeanu Benton, joining Breiden Fehoko and Jacob Slade, who are also on the practice squad at the position.
Ahead of the deadline, some media speculated the Steelers might address their interior defensive line through a trade. However, no trade was completed, making the quick addition of Davis a logical move.
Davis stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs 330 pounds, making him one of the smaller linemen on the Steelers’ roster, alongside Fehoko and Slade.
Time will tell if Davis can secure a longer-term spot in Pittsburgh for the rest of the season.
Steelers Pursue Smart, Low-Cost Moves at NFL Trade Deadline
The Athletic rated the Steelers’ two deadline trades with a “B” and a “B+,” describing them as low-risk but potentially impactful.
Nick Farabaugh of PennLive provided details on November 5 regarding each deal’s affordable terms.
“Sources tell PennLive that the Steelers’ own seventh-round pick will go to Green Bay in the [Preston] Smith trade, rather than one of the seventh-round picks acquired in the Kenny Pickett trade,” Farabaugh shared.
He added, “The lower of the Steelers’ two fifth-round picks will be sent to the New York Jets [for Mike Williams]. Pittsburgh retains its own fifth-round pick as well as a fifth-rounder from the Rams from the Kevin Dotson trade.”
According to Farabaugh, Pittsburgh holds all top four-round picks for 2025, along with a fifth and two sevenths — unless Justin Fields plays over 51% of snaps. If that happens, the conditional sixth-rounder traded for Fields will become a fourth.
