Steelers sign RB Travis Homer, place Gennings Dunker on reserve/injured list; elevate Lew Nichols, Doneiko Slaughter for Bengals game
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed running back Travis Homer to the active roster from the practice squad and placed rookie guard Gennings Dunker on the reserve/injured list, the team said Saturday. The moves came ahead of Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium. Dunker was drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The team elevated running back Lew Nichols and defensive back Doneiko Slaughter from the practice squad to the active/inactive roster for the Bengals game, the team said. Both players will revert to the practice squad after the game. Slaughter was also activated for the Week 1 game against the Atlanta Falcons and the Week 2 game against the New England Patriots.
The Steelers signed Homer in the offseason as an unrestricted free agent, the team said. The Seattle Seahawks selected Homer in the sixth round (204th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent his first four NFL seasons with the Seahawks (2019-22) and the last three with the Chicago Bears (2023-25), appearing in 86 games with two starts and totaling 92 carries for 490 yards and one rushing touchdown as well as 55 receptions for 475 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
Nichols spent the 2025 season on the Steelers practice squad and signed a reserve/future contract at the end of that season, the team said. He was elevated for the Week 9 game against the Indianapolis Professional Football Team and played on special teams. The Green Bay Packers selected Nichols in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft; he spent most of that season on the reserve/injured list and has also spent time on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad. At Central Michigan, Nichols led the nation with 1,710 rushing yards in 2021 and was named the Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
The Steelers signed Slaughter to a reserve/future contract following the 2025 season after he originally joined the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent, the team said. He finished his final college season at Arkansas with 80 tackles, including 44 solo stops, three tackles for loss, seven passes defensed, a sack and a forced fumble. Slaughter began his college career at Tennessee and finished with 167 tackles, 110 solo stops, eight and a half tackles for loss, four sacks and 15 passes defensed across five seasons.
NFL Sports Blog Take
Saturday’s roster moves give the Steelers immediate depth and short-term flexibility for Sunday’s game. Signing Travis Homer adds an experienced runner and special teams contributor to the active roster. Elevating Lew Nichols and Doneiko Slaughter addresses depth needs for the game while preserving roster flexibility because both will revert to the practice squad. Placing third-round rookie guard Gennings Dunker on the reserve/injured list removes a young interior lineman from the rotation and will force the team to rely on available veteran or backup options while he recovers.