Steelers cornerback Steven Nelson is not expected to suit up against Washington in Week 13.
The good news? It is the thinnest injury report the Steelers have had all season and the least problematic headed into their game with Washington. The bad news? Thanks to a torn ACL, Bud Dupree has been placed on the injured reserve and is out for the season. So his name has been omitted from the injury report. We also had some recent bad news as it pertains to Steven Nelson’s availability this week.
While the bulk of the Steelers remain healthy headed into the last quarter of the season, they still have to figure out how to maintain their unbeaten record while losing two defensive starters for the season. Fans will have a slightly better answer to that question after the game against Washington.
Ben Roethlisberger QB: Questionable (Not Injury Related, Knee)
Ben Roethlisberger did not practice Thursday and Friday. That by itself is not unusual. Roethlisberger usually skips Wednesday’s practice after each Sunday game. However, in this case, he also missed Friday’s practice. That said, despite his questionable listing, fans should have no concerns he will miss the game with Washington unless something else comes to light that has not been made public, which seems unlikely.
Steven Nelson CB: Questionable (Out)
It seems that knee injuries seem to be more contagious than COVID this season for the Steelers. Steven Nelson is the latest to miss practice to a knee injury. In his press conference, Coach Tomlin stated the Steelers were waiting for the results of his MRI. So far, the results of the MRI have not surfaced. However, Gerry Dulac recently said that Steven Nelson is not expected to play this week. In his place, Cameron Sutton is expected to make the start at RCB, not Justin Layne. Sutton has been impressive when called upon this season, but is more comfortable playing inside.
While Steelers fans should all be concerned about bud Dupree’s injury, the Steelers have found a unique resiliency in 2020. When Devin Bush got injured, fans wondered how they could win without him, then Robert Spillane returned an interception for a touchdown against Baltimore. For now, Alex Highsmith will replace Dupree. If he steps up like Spillane, then perhaps fans should not be overly concerned. In conjunction, Stephon Tuitt should return to the Steelers lineup after missing the Ravens game. T.J. Watt addressed Dupree’s injury in an interview on how they plan to respond. We will know more Monday night.
You can always check the Steelers injury report for any changes to their injury report and updates to any injuries to Washington.