Steelers football: Plaxico Burress could help in red zone

The Pittsburgh Steelers have designed a red zone package for newly-acquired wide receiver Plaxico Burress, according to Ross Tucker.

Burress could be the team's third receiver in Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns now that Jerricho Cotchery and Antonio Brown dealing with injuries. He also could be oft-targeted in the red zone after scoring eight touchdowns with the New York Jets a year ago, seven of which came from inside the opponents' 20-yard line. The team will look to Burress to provide a boost up from its 48.57 percent red zone touchdown rate, which ranks 20th in the NFL.

The 11th-year pro out of Michigan State will be reunited with Charlie Batch, who was the Steelers' backup quarterback in 2003, Burress' second-to-last season of his first stint in Pittsburgh. Batch will start on Sunday in place of Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich, both of whom suffered rib injuries in the last two weeks.

Steelers cut Baron Batch, Marshall McFadden to make way for Plaxico Burress, Brian Hoyer

The Pittsburgh Steelers have cut running back Baron Batch and linebacker Marshall McFadden on Tuesday, according to a report by Bob Labriola of Steelers Digest.

The decision to cut Batch and McFadden came as a result of the free agent signings of wide receiver Plaxico Burress and quarterback Brian Hoyer. The team need to create roster space in order to make the additions.

Batch was chosen by the Steelers with the No. 232 overall selection in the 2011 NFL Draft. A product of Texas Tech, Batch appeared in 10 games with the Steelers in 2012, registering 49 yards on 25 rushing attempts in addition to recording four receptions for 31 yards.

McFadden was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Steelers and acted as a member of the team's practice squad. On Nov. 15 he was promoted to the active roster after Chris Carter was placed on injured reserve and recorded one tackle in his lone appearance with the team.

Steelers' LaMarr Woodley tweets about Donovan McNabb, Larry Foote tells Woodley to 'shut up'

Steelers linebackers verbally sparred, in a friendly manner, Tuesday about quarterback situation.

Steelers auditioning Plaxico Burress, Derrick Williams, Brian Hoyer, Mike Kafka

With multiple injuries hurting the Pittsburgh Steelers' depth at wide receiver and quarterback, the team has brought in four players to try out Tuesday morning with the intention of signing two.

With Jerricho Cotchery and Antonio Brown both dealing with injuries, the team only has three healthy wide receivers on the active roster: Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, and David Gilreath. As a result, they're working out Plaxico Burress and Derrick Williams Tuesday for workouts. Burress now 35, spent the first five years of his career before winning a Super Bowl with the New York Giants, going to prison for two years, and eventually ending up on the New York Jets last season. Williams spent three years with the Detroit Lions out of Penn State, catching nine passes, but was waived before last season before spending the offseason and training camp with the Steelers. Pittsburgh also has rookies Toney Clemons and Derek Moye on their practice squad.

As for the quarterbacks, Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich's injuries -b oth believed to be somewhat longterm - has forced Charlie Batch into a starting role. To provide depth, they'll look at Brian Hoyer and Mike Kafka, who have backed up Tom Brady and Michael Vick respectively but were cut this season after training camp by their clubs. Neither has started an NFL game, but both have seen NFL action.

Steelers quarterbacks: Could Tyler Palko be a possibility?

Tyler Palko played for Pitt in college, appeared on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster in 2009, and started four games under offensive coordinator Todd Haley last season in Kansas City. Now, the quarterback could be one of the options as the Steelers search for depth at the position with Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich hurt.

Roethlisberger and Leftwich could both be out for significant amounts of time, meaning Charlie Batch will be the starter this Sunday against the Cleveland Browns after being a third-stringer just two weeks ago. Looking for backups to provide depth behind Batch, the Steelers are working out Mike Kafka and Brian Hoyer on Tuesday. However, Mike Bires of Timesonline.com said that Palko could also be one of the free agents the Steelers are interested in.

Palko started three years for the Pitt Panthers, beating Joe Flacco for the starting job and earning second team all-Big East honors in 2004 and 2005. After his last year in 2006, Palko bounced around the NFL, UFL, and CFL before finally appearing in a regular season NFL game in 2010 with the Kansas City Chiefs. He appeared in eight games for the Chiefs, starting four last season under Haley, then the Chiefs' head coach. However, results were mixed, as he threw seven picks against only two touchdowns. Palko had previously been on the Steelers in 2009, signing in a similar situation when Roethlisberger and Batch were injured, but he did not appear in any games as Dennis Dixon's backup.

Other potential free agent targets include Jerrod Johnson, who was with the Steelers in the offseason and training camp, and former Jaguars starter David Garrard. The team reportedly reached out to Dixon, who said he would prefer to remain with the Baltimore Ravens than try out for the Steelers.

Steelers quarterback situation: Who are Brian Hoyer and Mike Kafka?

The Pittsburgh Steelers will try out Brian Hoyer and Mike Kafka, a pair of younger quarterbacks with backup experience, as they try to find someone to provide quarterback depth as they prepare to start third-stringer Charlie Batch.