Steelers injury report: Pat Freiermuth and three others miss practice

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a number of players show up on the injury report Wednesday. Here are their biggest injury concerns this week. 

After falling to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 15, Pittsburgh Steelers fans were hoping to see their team in good shape for the final stretch of the 2022 season. Mike Tomlin’s team is preparing to face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, and with both teams sitting on a 5-8 record, reputations are on the line.

Sadly, the Steelers injury report on Wednesday wasn’t exactly encouraging. The Steelers official website confirmed that Kenny Pickett was limited as he remains in concussion protocol. Cameron Sutton joined him in individual work as he is currently dealing with a neck injury. Additionally, Pat Freiermuth (toe), Najee Harris (hip), Larry Ogunjobi (toe), and Myles Jack (groin) did not participate in practice.

This injury news comes in the wake of the disheartening report that DL Chris Wormley has suffered an ACL injury. His season is done, and he will require surgery that will likely keep him out of commission until next summer. It’s possible that he has played his last game in Pittsburgh.

With two key starters limited and four more not participating on Wednesday, the outlook for Sunday’s game is looking a bit questionable. Prior to the release of the first injury report for Week 15, the Pittsburgh Steelers were already 2.5-point road underdogs, according to Fanduel Sportsbook.

While Pickett is allowed to practice, there’s certainly no guarantee that he will be good to go this weekend, as he still needs to clear concussion protocol in order to get the green light to suit up in Carolina on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Harris and Ogunjobi have frequented the Steelers injury report in recent weeks. Neither player practiced on Wednesday of last week, but both suited up against the Ravens. We expect the same thing to happen in Week 15.

Pat Freiermuth admitted that he suffered a toe injury when he got rolled up on early in the game against the Ravens last Sunday, but he thinks he should be good to go against the Panthers by Sunday. Myles Jack is new to the injury report with a groin injury and the severity of the ailment is unknown at this time.

Steelers biggest question is at quarterback

While Pittsburgh really needs a clean bill of health if they want to avoid falling to 5-9, no injury is more concerning right now that the concussion to Kenny Pickett. This was the second concussion he had suffered in just 8 weeks.

With his status still up in the air, there have been whispers that Mike Tomlin is leaving the door open to turn to Mason Rudolph. Backup Mitch Trubisky is coming off a three-interception performance that essentially cost the Steelers the game last week.

This sticky wait-and-see situation makes it hard to know how to divvy out practice reps to Steelers quarterbacks. Will Pittsburgh call on Pickett last minute or flip a coin between Trubisky and Rudolph?

Right now, we don’t know which quarterback will be under center when Pittsburgh plays Carolina, but Tomlin did confirm that Pickett will be the guy if cleared. We will monitor these injuries closely leading up to the weekend.