The Steelers go into their first game relatively healthy. Here is a look at the projected inactives for week one against the Patriots.
This list predicts who will be inactive for the Steelers on game day. The Steelers have to have seven inactives on gameday with a 53 man roster. The league mandates that only 46 players can dress. It looks like Sean Davis is the only injured player.
Sean Davis, FS
Sean Davis is listed as doubtful and will probably be out for the game against the Patriots. He is the only player who is injured on the roster. He has an ankle injury, and so he may come back next week. Stay tuned.
Josh Dobbs, QB
Dobbs will be a healthy scratch after losing the backup quarterback job to Mason Rudolph. Dobbs probably ran scout team quarterback this week in practice. Dobbs will probably only dress this year if there is an injury at quarterback.
Isaiah Buggs, DL
Buggs will probably be the sixth defensive lineman on the roster, and so it will be his job to sit on gameday. He is position flexible in case there is an injury on the defensive line this year.
Fred Johnson, OG
Fred Johnson will be out this week as a healthy scratch. He did a good job in the preseason to make the roster, but the Steelers will have to have some injuries before Johnson dresses for a game. He is probably the ninth offensive lineman on the roster, and there is already plenty of depth at guard, so he is a healthy scratch.
Zach Banner
Banner is probably the fourth lineman on the roster at this point, and so he will probably be a healthy scratch on Sunday. Chukwoma Okorafor has game experience, and so he will probably be the first tackle in the game if there is an injury at tackle. I do want to make it clear that Banner might have jumped Okorafor on the depth chart, but my best guess is that Banner will be the healthy scratch.
Tuzar Skipper
It’s a great story that Skipper made the team, but the team got healthier at the outside linebacker position. We didn’t know if he was going to make the team with depth at outside linebacker and him playing little special teams in the preseason. Chickillo and Adeniyi are better outside linebackers and better special teamers; so, Skipper loses his helmet this week.
Diontae Johnson
This last spot is hard to predict as the dress list will come down to Special Teams. I would assume that Layne and Burns are needed on special teams and so Johnson is my seventh inactive. I could also see this spot going to Layne. Layne will probably be a gunner, but I am curious if they use him or Cam Sutton as the other gunner.
Notes:
Mark Barron was not given a game designation; so, I would assume he will play a lot against the Patriots. The Steelers may want to rest Devin Bush early in the season as he played a lot in the preseason.
I have six corners dressing for this game, but that is because the backups can help out on kick and punt coverage. It will be interesting to see who opens up the season as a gunner on the punt team this week.