In regards to the prospects for returning to game action Wednesday, Monday offered some promising news about the five Pittsburgh Steelers players who missed this past weekend’s loss in Baltimore.
The four starters on the active roster who missed that game because of injury all were listed as full practice participants on the league-mandated injury report for Monday: receiver George Pickens (hamstring), safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring), cornerback Donte Jackson (back) and defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi (groin).
Monday was scheduled as the only true practice of the abbreviated work week in advance of the Christmas Day game against the visiting Kansas City Chiefs. In reality, it was a glorified walkthrough for a team set to play its third game in an 11-day span.
The Steelers on Tuesday will release a game status report for injured players. By then could come clarity on whether WR1 Pickens will return after a three-game absence, Ogunjobi and/or Elliott can come back from missing two games and if Jackson can play after missing the past seven quarters since he suffered his injury in a Dec. 14 loss at the Philadelphia Eagles.
Change-of-pace quarterback Justin Fields (abdominal) also suffered an injury during the first half of that game and did not dress for the loss to the Ravens. He was listed as a limited participant at Monday’s practice.
The two players who left the game in Baltimore — starting cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and receiver Ben Skowronek — did not practice Monday and are not expected to play Wednesday. Porter has a knee injury and Skowronek a hip issue.
