The Steelers currently have seven players on injured reserve, including some of the team’s top wide receivers and defensive linemen. And according to Pittsburgh head coach Mike McCarthy, every eligible name has a chance at a return this season.
“Thinking through the list, I think all those guys have a chance to come back,” McCarthy told the media Thursday.
The lone exception, of course, would be defensive lineman Logan Lee, who was placed on season-ending IR before cutdown day in August.
Currently,
Pittsburgh’s injured reserve list features the following players:
- WR Roman Wilson (placed on IR Oct. 17)
- WR Michael Pittman Jr. (placed on IR Oct. 10)
- DL Derrick Harmon (placed on IR Oct. 5)
- DL Sebastian Joseph-Day (placed on IR Oct. 22)
- DL Logan Lee (placed on IR Aug. 13)
- OL Gennings Dunker (placed on IR Sept. 26)
- OL Jack Driscoll (placed on IR Aug. 30)
NFL teams can bring players from IR to the 53-man roster up to eight times in the regular season per league rules. Pittsburgh has already used up two of those opportunities with safety Deshon Elliott making his Steelers return last week and Driscoll being designated to return after being placed on IR on cutdown day. However, Pittsburgh can still bring back the other five eligible names currently on the list once they miss their minimum of four games.
Dunker and Driscoll could see their 21-day practice periods open at any point. Harmon and Pittman can start to return after the Steelers-Browns matchup on Nov. 1 if healthy.
