Steelers notes: Cordarrelle Patterson upgraded at practice, Nick Herbig returns but limited

Cordarrelle Patterson appears poised for a return to game action for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The veteran return man and running back was a full practice participant Wednesday, according to the league-mandated injury report.

Patterson has missed the past four games because of an ankle injury. He could play when the Steelers return from their bye with a game at the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

Patterson took part in practices two weeks ago but was deemed to have done so on a limited basis. Reserve outside linebacker Nick Herbig was listed as limited Wednesday, the first time he'd been a participant on a practice report since suffering a hamstring injury during a win against Dallas on Oct. 6.

Reserve safety Terrell Edmunds missed Wednesday's practice because of illness.

Backup quarterback Justin Fields remains listed on the injury report because of a hamstring injury, but he practiced fully Wednesday.

Starting center Zach Frazier was a full participant as he readies to return from an ankle injury.

Skowronek back to practice

Receiver Ben Skowronek returned to practice Wednesday, opening up a 21-day window in which he can be activated off of injured reserve and to the 53-man roster.

Signed to the Steelers' practice squad at the end of the preseason, Skowronek appeared in the first two regular-season games but suffered a shoulder injury and has been on IR since Sept. 18.

A four-year veteran who was a seventh-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, Skowronek played six offensive snaps but was a special-teams regular for the Steelers.

Practice squad adds

The Steelers signed tight end Matt Sokol and defensive tackle Domenique Davis to the practice squad Wednesday.

Sokol spent training camp and the preseason with the Steelers and had a previous six-day practice squad stint in September. He's appeared in eight career NFL regular-season games since 2020.

The 6-foot-2, 326-pound Davis has bounced around the NFL and USFL since 2020 and was released off the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad two weeks ago. His NFL regular-season experience is two games in 2022.

Sokol's signing likely means the end with the Steelers for tight end Rodney "Hot Rod" Williams, who was waived after the Steelers' trades Tuesday.