Pittsburgh Steelers Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Steelers Place Wheaton On IR, Activate Dupree

November 19th, 2016 at 1:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers exchanged would-be key members of their 2016 team from IR in advance of their Week 11 game against the Browns, and the moves could bring to an end Markus Wheaton‘s time with the team.

Pittsburgh placed the fourth-year wide receiver on IR, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports (on Twitter). This will end Wheaton’s season because the team is bringing Bud Dupree off its IR list, making the second-year linebacker the franchise’s IR-boomerang player and rendering all other performers on IR finished for the year.

Wheaton hopes to avoid surgery, but ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets that’s a possibility for the 25-year-old pass-catcher.

The Steelers also moved Cameron Heyward to IR as expected after the stalwart defensive end tore a pectoral muscle.

For Wheaton, this brings about an unfortunate end to his contract year, with the wideout who appeared set to be Ben Roethlisberger‘s No. 2 target in a high-octane offense catching just four passes and playing in only three games this season. A shoulder injury ended up shelving the longtime contributor, who missed six games as a result of the malady. Wheaton averaged 17.0 yards per catch last season in an improved campaign that saw him carve out a key role for the Steelers, scoring a career-best five touchdowns and recording 749 air yards.

A former third-round pick, Wheaton will be a free agent, and the Steelers already house Antonio Brown, Sammie Coates, Eli Rogers and have Martavis Bryant under contract, although his status is murky at best due to the season-long suspension he’s serving.

Dupree has missed the season to this point with a groin injury. He played in all 16 regular-season games for the team last season and started five. Although the 2015 first-round pick was inconsistent as a rookie, the Kentucky product not having an entire season wiped away will help his development for a struggling Steelers defense.

The 23-year-old outside linebacker made 26 tackles and four sacks last season. He’ll return to a Steelers defense still flush with first-round linebackers, with the others — Lawrence Timmons, Jarvis Jones and Ryan Shazier — all starting for the 4-5 team, one that ranks 25th in total defense through 10 weeks.

Steelers Audition Bobby Richardson

November 15th, 2016 at 7:06pm CST by Dallas Robinson

With Cameron Heyward out for the year, the Steelers tried out defensive end Bobby Richardson today, tweets Nick Underhill of the Advocate. Richardson was a 11-game starter during his rookie season in 2015, but has bounced around the league during his sophomore campaign.

Steelers’ Cam Heyward Done For Season

November 15th, 2016 at 1:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Defensive end Cameron Heyward announced that he is done for the season. The Steelers star has been dealing with a pectoral injury that will apparently require surgery.

“I would like to thank everyone who has been in my corner this season,” Heyward posted on Instagram. “It pains me to say that I will not get to continue playing this season. My role will change as I can not play, but it will not change the goals the team has set out. My support for this team will only grow and I look forward in watching this team grow and fight on. Hate being on the sideline, but there is a greater plan taking place. My patience will be tested but I look forward to 2017. My hand will remain in the pile no matter what!”

Heyward was already playing through a nagging hamstring injury but playing the hero through this chest injury was not an option for the 27-year-old. For the last six years, Heyward has been an absolute rock for the Steelers and he never missed a regular season game until this year. As a starter over the last three-and-a-half years, Heyward has tallied 22.5 sacks and been a constant nightmare for opposing quarterbacks. This year, his 3 sacks stand as a team high although he only played in seven of nine possible games.

With Heyward out, the Steelers will likely use Ricardo Mathews in his spot and they may also move tackle Javon Hargrave around on the line. It’s unlikely that either player can match Heyward’s production, however.

Steelers Place LB Steve Johnson On IR

November 15th, 2016 at 10:16am CST by Zachary Links

The Steelers announced that they have placed linebacker Steve Johnson on IR. To take his spot, the team will re-sign L.J. Fort to the 53-man roster.

In the spring, Johnson signed a one-year minimum salary deal with Pittsburgh and has been yo-yo’d around by the Steelers ever since. While he wasn’t a key part of the Steelers’ defense this year, he was a cog on special teams and the team will have to replace him in the wake of his ankle injury. Johnson, 28, spent his first three NFL seasons in Denver before playing in Tennessee in 2015.

Fort, a five-year veteran, played in seven games for the Steelers this season. He was dropped from the roster last week to make room for the activation of Ladarius Green. The 26-year-old has appeared in seven games for the Steelers this season and has 24 total NFL games on his resume. Prior to joining the Steelers last year, Fort had stints with the Browns (2012) and one game with the Seahawks (2014).

Ladarius Green Still Not 100 Percent

November 12th, 2016 at 5:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Ladarius Green is expected to make his Steelers debut on Sunday against the Cowboys, the tight end is not at 100 percent, per Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter).

The recent addition categorized his explosion as lacking at present due to the calf trouble he’s had, and the ankle surgery the fifth-year veteran underwent placed screws and plates in it that haven’t gone unnoticed by the recovering tight end (Twitter link). Pelissero added Green’s ankle procedure was also due to cartilage damage, so Green could be a bit away from becoming the field-stretching tight end the Steelers hoped they were acquiring when they made the rare decision to dabble in free agency.

Steelers Activate Ladarius Green

November 12th, 2016 at 3:09pm CST by Ben Levine

3:09pm: Green has been elevated to Pittsburgh’s active roster, Mark Kaboly of DKPittsburghSports.com tweets. The Steelers cut outside linebacker L.J. Fort to make room. A five-year veteran, Fort played in seven games for the Steelers this season, making two tackles.

9:53am: It’s looking like tight end Ladarius Green will soon be making his Steelers debut. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter), the team is expected to activate the tight end from the PUP list. The reporter says that Green is expected to play in this weekend’s game against the Cowboys, but he notes that the decision will ultimately be up to coach Mike Tomlin.

The Steelers originally added Green this past offseason on a four-year, $20MM deal. The tight end was placed on the physically unable to perform list in late August as he recovered from his surgically-repaired ankle. The 26-year-old was also sidelined with lingering headaches, and this led to rumors that Green could consider retirement. Fortunately, the tight end seems to be doing better, as he’s been practicing with the Steelers since late October.

Green previously spent four seasons with the Chargers, where he served as a backup to Antonio Gates. Despite being second on the depth chart, the tight end still managed to haul in 77 receptions for 1,087 yards and seven touchdowns. 2015 was a career-year for Green, as the tight end caught 37 passes for 429 yards and four touchdowns.

With Green out, backup tight end Jesse James has stepped up. The second-year tight end has 24 receptions for 172 yards and three touchdowns this season. It’s unclear whether the Steelers will cut one of their other tight ends (Xavier Grimble, David Johnson) to make room for Green.

DeAngelo Williams Undergoes Knee Surgery

November 10th, 2016 at 6:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams underwent knee surgery today, according to Mark Kaboly of DKPittsburghSports.com. Williams, Pittsburgh’s backup to Le’Veon Bell, could miss anywhere from two weeks to a month while recovering, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter links).

Bell, clearly, will continue to carry the majority of the load for the Steelers, but new No. 2 back Fitzgerald Toussaint figures to assume many of Williams’ duties as the club’s reserve runner. And if Pittsburgh wants to promote a player from its practice squad, the team will have two interesting options. One is Daryl Richardson, the former Rams RB who spent the early portion of the season on the Steelers’ active roster. The other is Karlos Williams, the second-year back who recently signed on with Pittsburgh after a tumultuous offseason with the Bills.

Williams, 33, was highly effective during his two-games stint as the Steelers’ starter earlier this year, rushing for 237 yards and scoring twice while adding 10 receptions (and another touchdown) through the air. His contract with Pittsburgh is up after this year. If he misses a full month, Williams will be sidelined for the Steelers’ contests against the Cowboys, Colts, Browns, and Giants.

Steelers Designate Bud Dupree To Return

November 10th, 2016 at 8:05am CST by Connor J. Byrne

It appeared Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree‘s season was over before it began when the team placed him on injured reserve Sept. 4. Fortunately, Dupree’s recovery from core muscle tear surgery went so well that the Steelers designated him to return from IR on Wednesday, per Ralph N. Pauk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The club now has a 21-day window to activate Dupree, who is aiming to make his 2016 debut Nov. 20 in Cleveland.

In Dupree, Pittsburgh will welcome back its 2015 first-round pick, a player who amassed 26 tackles and four sacks in 16 games (five starts) as a rookie. The former Kentucky standout’s presence should aid a defense that ranks a below-average 19th in both DVOA and yardage allowed. Pittsburgh has also struggled getting to the quarterback, having amassed an NFL-worst 11 sacks to go with 48 hurries (18th), which has contributed to its underwhelming 4-4 record. During their three-game losing streak, the Steelers have taken down opposing passers a mere three times. Each of those sacks came in their 21-14 loss to AFC North rival Baltimore last Sunday.

Given that teams can only bring one player off IR, Dupree’s designation means the 2016 season has officially ended for two other Pittsburgh notables – offensive tackle Ryan Harris and cornerback Senquez Golson – as Paulk notes. Harris and Golson landed on IR prior to Week 5.

Thumb Surgery For Maurkice Pouncey

November 8th, 2016 at 9:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey underwent surgery on his dislocated right thumb Tuesday, though it’s possible he’ll play Sunday against the Cowboys, per head coach Mike Tomlin (via Mark E. Ortega of NFL.com). Pouncey injured the thumb, which is on his snapping hand, in the Steelers’ 21-14 loss to the Ravens last Sunday and left the game in the second half.

Ben Roethlisberger A Game-Time Decision

November 5th, 2016 at 9:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Fantasy owners of Ben Roethlisberger or the Steelers‘ Big Ben-dependent skill-position contingent will need to stay on top of his status going into Week 9, with Adam Schefter reporting (via Twitter) the Steelers haven’t decided if Roethlisberger or Landry Jones will get the call against the Ravens. The 34-year-old passer is less than three weeks removed from meniscus surgery, and another Roethlisberger absence could sink the Steelers to .500 after they looked like one of the league’s most dangerous teams prior to his injury.

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