Steelers James Washington and Steven Nelson eyeing return to field this week
By Tommy Jaggi
The Steelers were without two big names last week. Here’s an injury update on receiver James Washington and cornerback Steven Nelson.
Nobody gave the Steelers much of a chance when they traveled to the west coast to face the Los Angeles Chargers. Led by undrafted quarterback Devlin Hodges in his first NFL action, Mike Tomlin’s team was the underdog in week 6.
In fact, just 2 percent of experts picked the Steelers to win on the road against the Chargers in a game where Pittsburgh was missing several big names. Though they came out of their last game with a win, the Steelers would love to get a few of their players back.
Fortunately, that looks like it will happen on Monday Night Football. James Washington and Steven Nelson both sat out against the Chargers in week 6, but according to recent reports, it appears that both players are on track to suit up against the Dolphins this week, barring a setback:
Bye week came at a good time for the Steelers. WR James Washington (shoulder) and CB Steve Nelson (groin) we’re back at practice today. Both said they were glad for the bye to heal up and rehab.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) October 21, 2019
Both James Washington and Steven Nelson likely would have missed a week 7 game nursing injuries so that the bye week couldn’t have come at a better time for Pittsburgh.
Washington suffered a shoulder injury in the second half of the Ravens game, and Nelson has been dealing with a groin issue. Both players have sizable roles on the team, and with the devastating news of Stephon Tuitt landing on IR with a pectoral injury, Washington and Nelson will be welcomed back with open arms.
The Steelers host the Miami Dolphins on a primetime game this week, so it may not be the most urgent game to force Washington and Nelson back into action. However, it sounds like both players are ready to go.
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If Pittsburgh gets off to a big lead, they could choose to rest these guys when the game is out of reach for the Dolphins. Pittsburgh has a few tough games coming up against the 4-2 Colts and the 4-3 Rams. They will need Washington and Nelson ready to go those contests if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive.