Steelers’ Watt added to Pro Bowl roster as injury replacement for Clowney

Steelers outside linebacker T. J. Watt will play in his first Pro Bowl next week.

Watt, in his second year, was added to the AFC roster Thursday when Houston Texans linebacker Jadaveon Clowney opted out of the game with an injury.

Watt recorded 65 tackles and 13 sacks this past season and also had six forced fumbles. A second- round pick in 2017, Watt has 20 sacks in his first two NFL seasons. That’s the most sacks by any Steeler in his first two NFL seasons and the fourth- most sacks for any NFL player over the past two seasons.

More Steelers

Former Robert Morris defensive back Marcelis Branch was signed to a reserve/ futures contract. Branch, who will turn 25 Saturday, is a 5- foot- 11, 195- pound safety.

Branch played at Robert Morris from 2012- 16 and was signed by the Atlanta Falcons in the spring of 2018 and spent time on their practice squad that fall. He went through training camp with the Falcons last season, but he was released before the start of the regular season.

At Robert Morris, Branch had seven career interceptions. He played cornerback early in his college career before moving to safety for his final season.

Seahawks

Seattle signed former first- round quarterback Paxton Lynch as a potential backup for Russell Wilson. Lynch was cut by the Broncos before the start of the 2018 season. He started four games in his first two seasons for Denver after being the No. 26 overall pick in 2016. Lynch was twice beat out for the Broncos’ starting job in training camp.

Chargers

General manager Tom Telesco said quarterback Philip Rivers isn’t going anywhere but didn’t elaborate on a timetable for discussing a contract extension. Rivers is entering the final season of a four- year, $ 83.25 million extension he signed in August 2015. He will earn $ 16 million in 2019, his 16th season in the NFL. “He’s going to be here. We’ll talk at the right point as far as the moves we need to make in the offseason and the resources we have and kind of see how it all fits in,” Telesco said at his seasonending press conference.

49ers

San Francisco has hired Joe Woods as defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator. Woods’ addition to coach Kyle Shanahan’s staff fills a void created when Jeff Hafley left to take a job at Ohio State.