Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
Scott Brown of ESPN.com provided some Steelers-related injury news earlier this afternoon, and things do not necessarily look positive for three of Pittsburgh’s defensive players:
DE Brett Keisel (foot), OLB LaMarr Woodley (calf) and S Shamarko Thomas (ankle) did not practice today for Steelers.
— Scott Brown (@ScottBrown_15) November 21, 2013
The fact that Thomas (ankle) and Keisel (foot) sat due to their respective injuries did not come as much of a shock to me. I will say that Woodley sitting is definitely puzzling, and the Steelers could definitely stand to use their 2013 sack leader (5.0) for their upcoming game against the Browns.
I just hope that the veteran was unable to participate due to precautionary purposes as Brown alluded to instead of being held out due to a re-aggravation of the calf injury which kept him out last weekend. If Woodley is out for Sunday’s game though, then the Steelers will need to shift Jason Worilds back to left outside linebacker and start Jarvis Jones once again on the right side.
On a positive note, it looks like the Steelers will have Ramon Foster and Emmanuel Sanders in their starting lineup on Sunday according to Brown and Pittsburgh’s injury report:
LG Ramon Foster (ankle), WR Emmanuel Sanders (foot) and TE Heath Miller were full participants in practice.
— Scott Brown (@ScottBrown_15) November 21, 2013
Foster’s return from the high-ankle sprain he suffered against the Bills would be fantastic since it would allow the Steelers to move Guy Whimper back to his more natural position of tackle. Sanders’ presence would make Pittsburgh’s secondary receivers like Jerricho Cotchery, Heath Miller, and Markus Wheaton even more dangerous and available for Ben Roethlisberger when he faces Cleveland’s talented secondary.
In terms of the team’s limited participants, Stevenson Sylvester and Matt Spaeth reportedly took part in practice earlier today as well:
LB Stevenson Sylvester (hamstring) limited in practice for second day in a row.
— Scott Brown (@ScottBrown_15) November 21, 2013
TE Matt Spaeth returned to practice today and expects to get activated from short-term IR within next three weeks.
— Scott Brown (@ScottBrown_15) November 21, 2013
Sylvester’s return would definitely give the Steelers some flexibility when it comes to their special teams units, but the big news here revolves around Spaeth and his return to the practice field. Now that Pittsburgh’s backup tight end has participated in practice, the team will have three weeks to decide whether or not to activate him, place him on season-ending IR, or release him.
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