As Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin discussed in his press conference on Tuesday, the Steelers come out of the bye week with several injuries still. Perhaps most notably, star kicker Chris Boswell is dealing with a groin injury in his right kicking leg. As a result, the team signed Matthew Wright from the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 03: Kicker Matthew Wright #16 of the Pittsburgh Steelers kicks off during the first half against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on January 03, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns defeated the Steelers 24-22. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
That shows Boswell likely won't play this weekend against the New Orleans Saints, and his outlook for the next few weeks even looks bleak. His brother, Stephen, tweeted out that Chris has an MRI for Monday to see the severity of the injury, but he's since deleted the tweet. As for Wright, you may remember him from 2020, when he kicked in three games for the Steelers. He was the Jacksonville Jaguars kicker for the duration of the 2021 season, as well as two games this season for the Chiefs when Harrison Butker missed time.
Jenna Harner of WPXI provided an update on the team's injury situation from Wednesday's practice. Linebacker Myles Jack has been banged up over the last few weeks with a knee injury. Tomlin discussed Jack on Tuesday, and Jack did not practice on Wednesday. That's not a great sign for his prospects of playing this Sunday, but there's still time.
Steelers 1st Injury Report of the week:
— Jenna Harner (@JennaHarner11) November 9, 2022
Did NOT practice: Chris Boswell (right groin), William Jackson III (back), Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring), Myles Jack (knee), Larry Ogunjobi (knee)
Levi Wallace (shoulder) and Christian Kuntz (ribs) both practiced in full
A few other guys that Tomlin referenced did not practice on Wednesday. Larry Ogunjobi, a crucial part of the team's defensive line, continues to try and work his way back. Like Jack, he has a knee injury and was held out of Wednesday's practice. The same can be said for Ahkello Witherspoon. His hamstring continues to sideline him for the time-being.
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman, Larry Ogunjobi (#99) participates during a game at Acrisure Stadium against the New York Jets on Oct. 2, 2022. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Just a week after being acquired from the Washington Commanders, cornerback William Jackson III missed practice. He's been dealing with a back injury for most of the season, and it seems that's not fully healed yet. The cornerback room continues to be the most banged up part of this team in 2022. As for some good news, fellow corner Levi Wallace (shoulder) practiced fully on Wednesday.
Wallace has had a difficult first season in Pittsburgh, dealing with multiple injuries throughout. It's important for him to return to the field, as him and Witherspoon will likely be competing for a starting spot with Jackson now in the fold. For now, assuming they're healthy, Jackson and Cam Sutton are likely locked into two of the three starting corner positions. We'll keep you up to date with the injuries for the rest of the week, so be sure to tune in!
Are you concerned about any of these injuries? Does the kicking game become a major concern for coach Tomlin? Who do you think should/will be the team's three starting corners? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, as well as on our social media sites!
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