Tag: Steelers 2024 preseason

Steelers rookie Payton Wilson to play vs. Lions after injury scare

Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Payton Wilson has cleared concussion protocol and will play in preseason finale versus Detroit Lions.

Rookie inside linebacker Payton Wilson exited early from the Pittsburgh Steelers preseason matchup with the Buffalo Bills and was evaluated for a concussion.

The Steelers got a bit of good news with Wilson having cleared protocol. Per Alan Saunders of Steelers Now, Wilson will play in Pittsburgh’s preseason finale against the Detroit Lions on Saturday.

Wilson said the preseason has benefited him coming from college in adjusting to the speed of the NFL.

“I’ve really enjoyed the preseason because it’s slowing the game down a lot,” Wilson told Steelers media on Thursday. “It’s not like we’re just jumping right into week one, and then you have to adjust on the fly.”

Given the injury scare, the Steelers would be wise to limit Wilson to a drive or two. While it was never disclosed whether he suffered a concussion, it’s an injury that can’t be taken lightly.

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Steelers insider shares unfortunate outlook for rookie WR Roman Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver Roman Wilson is a rumored injured reserve candidate to start the 2024 NFL regular season.

Roman Wilson was a bright spot in the receivers room this summer. That is until an ankle injury put an abrupt end to his first pro training camp and is now putting the start of his rookie season in jeopardy.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo shared his outlook for Wilson on The Fan Morning Show today.

“I don’t think he is going to play [in the preseason],” Fittipaldo said. “He did not practice [Tuesday]. His situation certainly bears watching. Obviously, he’s a third-round pick. They’re gonna carry him on the 53-man roster. But if you’re a rookie and you don’t play in any preseason games, depending on what else goes on with this roster, I think he’s a candidate for IR.

“So that’s something to keep an eye on for next week. Now, if he returns to practice later this week and next week, then we’ll see. But not looking good for Roman Wilson right now.”

Roster cut-downs from 90 to 53 happen in one fell swoop on Tuesday, and those spots are precious. If Mike Tomlin feels it could be better used by an able body, Wilson could find himself on injured reserve, out for the first four weeks of the season (eligible to return for Week 5 versus the Dallas Cowboys).

It might just be best to sideline Wilson, given that he hasn’t practiced since July and has yet to suit up for a preseason game. He’s missed valuable time, and risking further injury for maybe a few passes would be silly.

It’s a long season and getting him back to 100% for the haul is what’s most important.

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Mike Tomlin offers update on Steelers RB Jaylen Warren injury

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin doesn’t see Jaylen Warren’s injury as a long-term concern.

Pittsburgh Steelers fans clenched their pearls on Saturday as they watched Jaylen Warren head to the blue medical tent.

Warren caught a check-down pass by Russell Wilson and was engulfed by Bills defenders. Shortly after, he spent time in the blue medical tent before walking to the locker room. It was later revealed Warren had sustained a hamstring injury.

On Tuesday, Mike Tomlin provided a brief update on his running back’s status going forward. “He is out probably out for this week, but not anything that’s a long-term concern,” Tomlin said via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.

A source of Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz said that Warren could miss a few weeks, while Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac thinks he could be ready for the season opener.

Only Tomlin, the trainers and Jaylen Warren know when Jaylen Warren will be ready.

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Steelers HC Mike Tomlin not ready to make play time vs. Lions public

News of exactly who will play in the Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 preseason finale versus the Detroit Lions will have to wait.

News of exactly who will play in the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ 2024 preseason finale versus the Detroit Lions will have to wait.

On Tuesday, Mike Tomlin told Steelers media he’ll address the playing time plan on Thursday after practice.

Pregame weather played a factor in Tomlin sitting T.J. Watt and others he’d planned to start in Pittsburgh’s matchup with the Buffalo Bills. And the offense sputtering for the second consecutive week left many to wonder if Tomlin would start players in Detroit that he’d normally sit this late in the preseason.

Typically, it would be the Kyle Allen and John Rhys Plumlee show for the final game of the preseason. However, Tomlin might like to see how Russell Wilson and Justin Fields operate a drive that actually results in a touchdown.

Or will Tomlin accept it is what it is and roll with the back end of the QB depth chart? Answers to these questions — and others — will be revealed on Thursday.

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Mike Tomlin sends blunt message to Steelers offensive line

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin harped on the offensive line following their preseason loss to the Bills.

The process of rebuilding the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line has been a long and painful one. It started in earnest with tackle Broderick Jones in the 2023 NFL draft and continued this spring with Troy Fautanu (tackle), Zach Frazier (center) and Mason McCormick (guard).

Landing the Washington Huskie meant Jones could return to his natural spot on the line’s left side. But not so fast. Fautanu’s knee injury forced Jones to return to the right side, with Dan Moore Jr. playing on the left.

It took Jones time to adjust to playing on the right side last year, but he improved as the season went on. So far, he’s been charged with two of the seven total sacks on Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Kyle Allen.

Mike Tomlin stated the obvious after the game:

We didn’t do a good enough job of protecting the quarterback. We’ve gotta do a better job in pass protection than we did; not only on possession downs but just in general. I was really upfront with the group about it in that regard. That can’t be a problem for us.

Right now, the offensive line doesn’t look how the Steelers intended. We can only hope the unit gets its act together once Fautanu (who allowed a Fields sack in game one) is healthy and Jones can return to left tackle. Otherwise, it will be another long season for Pittsburgh’s offense.

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Mike Tomlin: Steelers are ‘pushing forward’ with Alex Highsmith

The Steelers are ready to bring EDGE Alex Highsmith back into the fold.

Like many teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers are already dealing with injuries. Running back Jaylen Warren (hamstring) is expected to be out for a few weeks. Nate Herbig, the presumed starting center, could be done for the season.

If anyone is lucky, it’s Alex Highsmith. Pittsburgh’s 2022 sack leader sustained a groin injury at training camp practice earlier this month.

A groin injury is tricky, as we saw with Cameron Heyward last season. He nursed a one throughout training camp, and it tore off the bone 14 snaps into the Steelers Week 1 loss to the San Fransisco 49ers.

The Steelers have remained cautious with their right outside linebacker, but Mike Tomlin stated they’ll bring him back into the fold this week.

“Should be fine,” Tomlin said after the Bills game on Saturday. “Had a couple good days of work. We’ll be pushing forward this week.”

Hopefully, the Steelers learned their lesson from Heyward doing too much too soon. Highsmith will want to play every snap, but Tomlin and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin should not be hesitant to plug Nick Herbig in more often until Highsmith is 100%.

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Best shots from Steelers preseason game vs. Bills

A gallery of best photos from the Pittsburgh Steelers-Buffalo Bills preseason game two.

For the second consecutive week, the Pittsburgh Steelers failed to score points as the offensive line struggled to protect the quarterback. The unit has put up a total of 15 points in two games. Sound familiar? If preseason is any indicator of what’s to come, the Steelers are in deep trouble.

Russell Wilson, who started the game with the first team, was sacked three times for 21 yards in his Steelers debut. In the air, Wilson went 8-of-10 for 47 yards.

While Justin Fields shined in moments — and looked like the overall better QB — it wasn’t enough to put a touchdown(s) on the board.

 

Russell Wilson sacks, offensive line struggles highlight Steelers first half

It’s the same ol’ song and dance for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive line.

It’s a new season, but still the same ol’ story: The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line is struggling.

Russell Wilson getting his first start for the Steelers headlined the week, but it’s the sacks he took that headlined the first half.

Thanks to an inefficient performance from Pittsburgh’s starting offensive line, Wilson hardly had time to throw and was met three times by Buffalo Bills defenders for sacks.

A lot is being said about the performance of the second-year tackle Broderick Jones, but there’s plenty of blame to go around. According to Pro Football Focus premium stats, Jones, tight end Darnell Washington and guard Isaac Seumalo were each charged with allowing a sack on Wilson.

Jones’s time in Pittsburgh has unfortunately dictated that he plays out of position. Jones, a natural left tackle, played primarily on the right side due to injuries along the offensive line. Troy Fautanu, drafted to play right tackle, sustained a knee injury in the first game of the preseason.

Wilson went 8-of-10 with 47 yards passing and could never get a rhythm going.

It’s just the preseason, and Jones will hopefully man the offensive line at left tackle and Fautanu at right once the season kicks off on Sept. 8 in Atlanta.

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Steelers RB Jaylen Warren exits Bills matchup with hamstring injury

Steelers RB Jaylen Warren exited the preseason matchup vs. the Bills with a hamstring injury.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren is doubtful to return versus the Buffalo Bills with a hamstring injury.

Warren caught a check-down pass by Russell Wilson and was engulfed by the Bills. Shortly after, Warren spent time in the blue medical tent before walking to the locker room.

It’s a good sign that Warren walked and wasn’t carted off. Sidelining him could’ve just been precautionary, but it’s worth monitoring.

Mike Tomlin could have an update after the game, but we likely won’t know more until next week.

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T.J. Watt unexpectedly sidelined for Steelers vs. Bills

Forecasted weather has forced the Steelers to sit T.J. Watt for their preseason matchup with the Bills.

The sun is still shining over Pittsburgh’s three rivers, but pending weather is thought to be a reason for some last-minute lineup changes in the Steelers’ mid-preseason matchup with the Buffalo Bills.

T.J. Watt stood on the sideline in street clothes while Missi Matthews of Steelers.com reported that he would not start as expected, citing the weather as the reason why.

Watt was due to start tonight’s game — his first of the preseason — but holding him out as a precaution is a smart move. There’s no need to put him in harm’s way in a meaningless game.

Josh Allen was also expected to start at quarterback for Buffalo, but Mitch Trubisky took his place instead. Steelers fans let Trubisky know how much they missed him by booing when his name was announced.

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