Rosie Nix and Ryan Switzer will watch the remainder of the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2019 season from the sideline. On Thursday, hours before the Steelers face the Browns on "Thursday Night Football", Steelers.com's Missi Matthews reported that Pittsburgh has placed fullback Rosie Nix and receiver Ryan Switzer on injured reserve, effectively ending their seasons. 

Nix, a Pro Bowler in 2017, has been dealing with a knee injury that was sustained during Pittsburgh's Week 1 loss to the Patriots. Nix sat out the next six games before returning for the Steelers' Week 8 victory over the Dolphins, helping teammate James Conner rush for a season-high 145 yards. Nix re-aggravated the injury during Pittsburgh's Week 9 victory over the Colts and was inactive for this past weekend's victory over the Rams. 

Without Nix, one of Pittsburgh's four team captains, the Steelers have struggled to get their running game going this season, as they are currently 27th in rushing and 28th in yards per carry (3.5). While they do not have another fullback on their active roster, rookie Sutton Smith, a linebacker out of Northern Illinois who saw time at fullback during OTAs and training camp, was added to the 53-man roster earlier this week. 

Switzer, acquired via a trade with the Oakland Raiders just before the start of the 2018 season, has caught just eight of 11 targets for 24 yards this season. The team's leading punt and kickoff returner, Switzer, who sustained a back injury during Sunday's win over Los Angeles, will likely be replaced by rookie Dionate Johnson on special teams. 

In corresponding moves, the Steelers promoted receiver Tevin Jones from the practice squad and signed linebacker Jayrone Elliott to the active roster. Jones, a former undrafted rookie out of Memphis, has not compiled any regular season statistics after initially breaking into the NFL with the Texans in 2016. Elliott, a former undrafted rookie out of Toledo who spent three years with the Packers and one season with the Cowboys, has appeared in 43 career games.