The Steelers announced that they have placed quarterback Bruce Gradkowski on the IR, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. The move clears a roster spot for Michael Vick, who now has a much better chance of sticking with the club long-term.
Gradkowski, 32, was expected to serve as Ben Roethlisberger‘s primary backup in 2015. However, the veteran dislocated a finger on his left hand in this weekend’s preseason game and the injury was apparently bad enough to end his season before it could start.
The 32-year-old has traveled the league over the course of his career, enjoying stints with the Bucs, Browns, Raiders, Bengals, and Steelers. Last year, Gradkowski appeared in only one regular season game for the Steelers. In the playoffs, Gradkowski attempted three passes and completed two.