| Burress will work out in Pittsburgh this week. (Getty Images) |
With Pittsburgh backup quarteback Byron Leftwich out for next week with a bum shoulder and injured ribs, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported Monday the Steelers might be looking at free-agent quarterbacks. Sounds like they’re looking at free-agent receivers, as well.
La Canfora confirms an ESPN report saying the Steelers will work out receiver Plaxico Burress this week, and he also reports that Pittsburgh will give former Patriots quarterback Brian Hoyer a tryout. ESPN also has reported that former Eagles backup Mike Kafka will get a workout as well.
According to NFL.com’s Aditi Kinkhabwala, though, Pittsburgh plans to start Charlie Batch at quarterback this Sunday vs. the Browns. Still, the Steelers will need a backup quarterback.
Apparently, that won't be Ravens quarterback Dennis Dixon, who started three games for the Steelers from 2009-10. La Canfora says Pittsburgh approached Dixon, who's currently on the Ravens taxi squad, but he declined the offer to work out.
And what about Roethlisberger?
"It is [possible] that Roethlisberger does dress Sunday in some sort of reserve role, but the Steelers need another arm," La Canfora wrote. "Veteran Charlie Batch is in line to start now, but Roethlisberger and Leftwich will be monitored through the week."
If Batch starts, that wouldn’t be a surprise considering how much the Ravens appeared to physically hurt Leftwich -- who still played pretty darn well in his spot start in place of Ben Roethlisberger.
The thought to grab Burress is an interesting one.
After spending 20 months in prison, Burress -- who caught at least 60 passes in three of his five seasons in Pittsburgh from 2000-04 (he also had two 1,000-yard receiving seasons) -- had a solid year with the Jets in 2011, recording 45 catches for 612 yards and eight touchdowns.
But he reportedly didn’t contribute positively to the Jets' locker room atmosphere, and he spent much of his offseason telling whatever radio station interviewing him about how much he’d loved to play in that station’s city.
Burress admitted in August he was surprised he couldn’t find a job.
"No doubt about it," he said. "With some of the things I was able to do after being away for two years, I pretty much thought it spoke for itself. But I guess obviously not."
With receivers Antonio Brown and Jerricho Cotchery banged up, though, the chance to play for the Steelers might soon become a reality for the 35-year-old.
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