Three Pittsburgh Steelers starters did not practice Wednesday because of injury, but defensive lineman Tyson Alualu and receivers Diontae Johnson and JuJu Smith-Schuster all are expected to return to practice Thursday.
During his weekly news conference the day prior, coach Mike Tomlin had grouped Johnson and Alualu together with linebacker Bud Dupree as “guys (who) could be limited in the early portions of the week, but I doubt it will be significant in terms of their ability (to play).”
Dupree, who has a shoulder injury, was not listed on the injury report released by the team. Johnson has a toe ailment, Alualu a knee contusion and Smith-Schuster also has a knee injury. Smith-Schuster spoke to the media after practice via video call and gave no indication his injury was at all serious.
Last week, five starters were absent from practice Wednesday because of injury or illness but practiced fully the remainder of the week and played Sunday without apparent issue. The injuries to Johnson and Smith-Schuster appear to have carried over. Each played significantly Sunday.
Also Wednesday, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and center Maurkice Pouncey were joined in their regular “veteran’s day off” by defensive linemen Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt. The latter two might end up having Wednesdays off on a weekly basis, judging by what Tomlin said Tuesday.
“Some veteran guys, a cumulative effect of their careers, require less physical preparation in an effort to be ready to play,” Tomlin said. “That aids in the preservation of their bodies, but it also provides quality reps for a younger guy who could need those reps and use those reps for game preparation and growth. We feel like we get two things done when we take that approach.”
Roethlisberger was on the field working on his own.
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