The Pittsburgh Steelers are taking a chance on Karlos Williams, signing the former Buffalo Bills running back to their practice squad Wednesday.
Williams, who was suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy, was released by the Bills on Aug. 21.
Williams, 23, began training camp on the Bills' active/non-football illness list after he reported to minicamp in June out of shape. His weight went as high as 261 pounds during the offseason, a league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Williams attributed his weight gain to his pregnant fiancée's food cravings.
The Steelers have been looking for quality running back depth for a while and worked out Williams before the regular season. Steelers linebacker Vince Williams said a few weeks ago he thought Pittsburgh would be a good landing strip for his brother.
The Steelers' No. 3 running back job is still fluid. Fitz Toussaint currently holds the role, but the team now has Williams for practice-squad insurance.
A fifth-round pick by the Bills in 2015, Williams played in 11 games, starting three. He gained 517 yards on 93 carries and scored seven rushing touchdowns in addition to two receiving touchdowns.
He tied an NFL record in 2015 by scoring a touchdown in each of his first six games played in the league. New England Patriots running back Robert Edwards also scored touchdowns in his first six games as a rookie in 1998.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Mike Rodak contributed to this report.
