Steelers welcome 2 injured starters back to practice on Tuesday

Larry Ogunjobi, DeShon Elliott and George Pickens all missed Sunday’s game vs the Philadelphia Eagles.

Injuries played a significant factor in the Pittsburgh Steelers loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday. The Steelers were minus wide receiver George Pickens, defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi and safety DeShon Elliott and all three were seriously missed.

But the good news is the Steelers got two of them back to practice on Tuesday. Sort of. Ogunjobi returned to practice on a limited basis and while Pickens was listed as DNP, he did go some individual drills with the team. Unfortunately, Elliott remained out.

The Steelers have an opportunity to clinch the AFC North with a win over the Baltimore Ravens this weekend so getting those three back will be significant. Pittsburgh is also hoping the injuries suffered by outside linebacker T.J. Watt and quarterback Justin Fields in last week’s game won’t keep them out even though both missed Tuesday’s practice as well.

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Sights and sounds from first half as Eagles hold a 17-13 lead over Steelers

Sights and sounds from first half as Eagles hold a 17-13 lead over Steelers

Philadelphia established its passing game and was dominant on defense, but the scoreboard tells a different story as the Eagles hold just a 17-13 lead over Pittsburgh after one half.

Vic Fangio’s defense held the Steelers to just 80 yards of offense on 30 plays in the first half, but two costly Eagles turnovers and two Chris Boswell field goals have Mike Tomlin’s team within four.

With the second half set to begin, we’re looking at sights and sounds from the first half.

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Steelers activate veteran DT from IR for Week 15 matchup vs Eagles

The Pittsburgh Steelers have activated Montravius Adams from IR, fortifying their defensive line ahead of Week 15 against the Eagles.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have finally received some positive injury news. While the loss of defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi for the Week 15 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles is concerning, the team will reportedly have veteran defensive tackle Montravius Adams returning from injured reserve.

Adams last played in Week 7, when the Steelers dominated an Aaron Rodgers-led New York Jets. Unfortunately, Adams suffered a knee injury which led to his placement on injured reserve, causing him to miss the past six Steelers’ contests.

Although it has been an up-and-down season for Adams, his veteran presence will be greatly appreciated as the Steelers’ defensive unit continues to battle injuries heading into Week 15.

Will the returning Adams help lift his team to victory in Week 15? Fans will get to witness the impact the defensive lineman brings to the Black and Gold when the Steelers take on the Philadelphia Eagles on December 15 at 4:25 PM EST.

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Steelers defender named Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee

The NFL announced the 32 nominees for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award on Thursday.

On Thursday, the NFL announced the 32 nominees for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. It’s the league’s most distinguished honor, recognizing players who excel on and off the field and “demonstrate a steadfast commitment to creating a positive impact beyond the game.”

During a team meeting this week, the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year recipient Cameron Heyward surprised Steelers nominee, defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, with the nomination.

“We’ve got an obligation to give,” Ogunjobi said after learning the news. “God has blessed us in tremendous ways. Our opportunity to give back to people is big. When you have an opportunity to put the light somewhere other than yourself, you have a chance to really make a difference. Let this be an example, anybody can do it, you guys can do it. Keep striving for greatness.”

Other nominees include Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans.

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2024 NFL draft: 4 DT prospects who could replace Larry Ogunjobi

If the Steelers move on from Larry Ogunjobi, here are some draft prospects to consider reaplacing him with.

One of the more obvious candidates for either a contract restructure or to be released is Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi. If Pittsburgh designates Ogunjobi for a post-June 1 release, it would save the Steelers $9.75 million. In a rebuild that is a huge amount of cap to spend elsewhere.

If the Steelers do choose to move on from Ogunjobi, it will mean a much larger role for Keeanu Neal but the Steelers will still need to add another interior player. Here are four guys in the 2024 NFL draft that fit the bill.

65 days until Browns season opener: 5 players to wear 65 in Cleveland

The countdown clock has ticked down to 65 days

In two weeks the rookies and veterans will have reported to Berea for the beginning of the 2023 training camp for the Cleveland Browns. The countdown counter is down to just Larry Ogunjobi days for the showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals in Cleveland.

In total, there have been 15 different players to wear the number for a regular season game with the first one being Joe Skibinski in 1952. The number was most recently worn by a couple of players that didn’t see much action after being worn for a couple of seasons by former draft pick Larry Ogunjobi.

Let’s take a look at five players that have worn 65 for the Browns.

Ranking the 10 best free agent defensive tackles available for the Saints

Ranking the 10 best free agent defensive tackles available for the Saints, with Sheldon Rankins on top:

Everyone knows what position the New Orleans Saints need to make a priority: defensive tackle. The team lost its top two players in Monday’s start to the free agent legal tampering period, with David Onyemata joining the Atlanta Falcons and Shy Tuttle going to the Carolina Panthers. All of their other interior linemen who got on the field last year are free agents — Malcolm Roach (who wants to test the market before accepting a two-year contract offer), Kentavius Street, and Albert Huggins. The Saints couldn’t field a complete defense if they had a game today.

And money has been flying around the league with defensive tackles on the move. The San Francisco 49ers are going to sign Javon Hargrave. The Washington Commanders retained Daron Payne. The Seattle Seahawks lured in Dre’Mont Jones. And the Cleveland Browns reached an agreement with Dalvin Tomlinson. The cupboard is starting to thin out before the Saints even get on the board.

Still, there are options available. Here are the top ten free agents still out there at their top position of need:

Podcast: Free agency wish list and more Browns draft talk

Which players should the Browns target in free agency?

In this week’s show, we talk about our top five free-agent targets for the Cleveland Browns next month. Could the team target some former players for a potential reunion on the defensive side of the ball? The Browns might not have a ton of money to spend but there are more than enough cheaper players out there that would improve the roster.

Finally, the show moves to more draft talk as I talk more about Auburn edge rusher Derick Hall and why I think he would be a great fit. You can listen to the episode here or if you watch here to see the video version on YouTube.

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10 former Browns who could return to Cleveland in free agency

Could any former Browns return to Cleveland in free agency?

As the Cleveland Browns look to get back into the playoffs in 2023, they will have to improve their roster in free agency and through the 2023 NFL Draft. As the new league year nears, could the Browns turn back to players who previously spent time in Cleveland in past years? Names like Jordan Poyer and Larry Ogunjobi have left the Browns and turned into ever-down necessities elsewhere. Both are also free agents. Who else is out there that has contributed to the Browns in the past that could return?

Here are 10 pending free agents who sit at positions of need for the Browns that have gone on to be significant contributors elsewhere after leaving Cleveland.

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PFF suggests two free agent targets for the Saints in 2023

Pro Football Focus suggested two free agent targets for the New Orleans Saints in 2023, bringing upgrades at defensive tackle and wide receiver:

Will the New Orleans Saints be big spenders in free agency again this year?  They have a ton of work to do in reaching salary cap compliance before they can worry about signing players away from other teams, but we should still expect the Saints to be active as always with Mickey Loomis as their general manager and Khai Harley working around the cap. If there’s a player the Saints covet, we know they’ll move mountains to go get them.

That’s not to say we should anticipate a spending spree. The Saints still need to be conscious of their cap situation and the extensions they’ll be working on with young stars in the future. It’s got be a careful balancing act. Still, it’s good to know your options. With the 2023 free agency cycle on the horizon in March, Pro Football Focus named one offensive and defensive target for each team. PFF’s Brad Spielberger suggested New Orleans go looking for help at wide receiver and defensive tackle: