The Steelers got one piece of good news and then another, much worse one ahead of their Week 6 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
DK Metcalf, who had been listed with an illness, has been cleared and will not carry an injury designation into Sunday’s game, according to team senior director of communications Burt Lauten. But Pat Freiermuth has now landed on the report with a calf injury and is listed as questionable.
The #Steelers have added TE Pat Freiermuth (calf) to the injury report and is questionable for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay. Additionally, WR DK Metcalf (illness) has been removed from the injury report and will not have an injury designation as he is expected to play Sunday.
That update matters because Pittsburgh is already paper-thin at wide receiver. Michael Pittman Jr. was placed on the reserve/injured list before the team’s Week 5 win over the Indianapolis Colts, and that move will keep him out through the Steelers’ Week 9 bye. On top of that, Roman Wilson (finger) and Ben Skowronek (calf) both picked up injuries against Indianapolis and will not play against the Buccaneers.
Even with those absences, the Steelers saw rookie Germie Bernard step up in a big way, finishing with six catches for 80 yards against the Colts. But Freiermuth’s role becomes even more important when the pass-catching group is this depleted, which is why his new status is such a concern.
Whether he suits up in Tampa Bay is still up in the air. If he can’t go, it would be another hit to a Pittsburgh offense that just put up 34 points against Indianapolis.
In Other News...
Steelers Suddenly Face A Very Different Quarterback Test In Week 6
The quarterback picture in Tampa Bay has shifted again, and it changes the feel of what the Steelers are getting ready for in Week 6. Baker Mayfield will miss another game because of a dislocated thumb, leaving Pittsburgh to prepare for an undrafted rookie who has already spent the last two weeks learning on the fly while handling the offense.
Jalon Daniels has thrown for 337 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions so far, and the challenge for the Steelers is less about a familiar veteran script and more about discipline. Pittsburgh is stressing pass rush lanes to keep Daniels from escaping the pocket and to limit what he can do with both his mobility and arm strength, which makes this matchup a different kind of test than the one it expected earlier in the week. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Rodgers Is Giving Steelers Fans A Real MVP Debate
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Former defensive lineman Osi Umenyiora was willing to say the quiet part out loud by putting Rodgers back in the MVP mix, a projection that inevitably brings 2021 to mind. It is still just a forecast, not a conclusion, but Rodgers has given the Steelers something to think about beyond simple competence at quarterback, and that alone can turn a routine stretch of games into a much bigger debate. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Suddenly Have A Rico Dowdle Decision To Make
Rico Dowdles status has become a quiet but important subplot for the Steelers as they head deeper into the fall. The running back has missed three games with a toe injury, though he was close to getting back on the field in Week 5 and could be in line to return in Week 6, which only adds to the sense that Pittsburgh is nearing a decision point on a player it views as a key backup in the backfield.
The bigger question is whether the Steelers treat Dowdle as part of the long-term plan or as a piece that could draw outside interest before the November 10 deadline. He is under contract through 2027, so Pittsburgh has every reason to hold onto him unless the season starts to veer off course and the teams playoff outlook changes in a meaningful way. [Read more 🡒]