The Steelers have signed a pair of free agents, wide receiver Plaxico Burressand quarterback Brian Hoyer, to one-year deals, the team announced today. Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed.
Burress (6-5, 232) spent the first five years of his career (2000-04) with the Steelers after Pittsburgh drafted him with the eighth overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. He spent the 2011 season with the New York Jets after being out of football in 2009-10. Last season, Burress started 13-of-16 games for New York and registered 45 receptions for 612 yards and eight touchdowns. Prior to joining the Jets, Burress played for the New York Giants from 2005-08. Overall, Burress has 550 receptions for 8,457 yards and 63 touchdowns. Burress started all 12 postseason games during his career and registered 46 receptions for 688 yards and six touchdowns. Burress will wear No. 80.
Hoyer (6-2, 215) was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Michigan State in 2009. After playing in 13 games for the Patriots in three seasons (2009-11), Hoyer was released on August 31, 2012. Hoyer will wear No. 3.
To make room on the roster the Steelers have released running back Baron Batch and linebacker Marshall McFadden.
