Injury Updates

Spillane is eligible to come back against the Browns, Vince is back this week, we don't need that lazy ass Barron.

 

He wouldn't have been eligible this week, anyway. I know Spillane is eligible to return, but I'm not sure that will actually happen. Given that Allen and Gilbert have been missing practices due to injury this week, I understand the thought. I just don't see it as much of an option because Barron sucks.

 

Looking somewhat better? Good to see Tuitt practicing fully. UGIII is back on IR.

Indy will be without their RT, and their LT is questionable.

 

It is certainly good to see Tuitt getting in a full practice. I'm a little concerned about Boswell. They are so thin at linebacker.

 

Indy will officially be without both tackles tomorrow. Absolutely have to take advantage of that. Would be nice to see a strip sack and a score.

 

It would be nice to see a decent job defending the run and pressure coming from both edges. Highsmith has to play better.

 

Time for Watt to have a 3 sack game

 

https://www.steelers.com/news/week-16-injury-report-colts

Boswell, Adeniyi, and Allen downgraded to out.

They will have Matt Wright, a kicker they didn't trust to try a 45-yard field goal with the game tied in the fourth quarter against Washington. They have Vince Williams coming off the COVID list to start with nobody behind him. Their top reserves at linebacker are both guys who began November on other teams' practice squads. At least Cassius Marsh actually has some NFL experience. He even started three games last season for the Cardinals. Scales only has a handful of special teams snaps with the Steelers the last two games.

This is just nuts.

 

And because of Scales needing to be added to the active roster, Gray was waived, which really sucks.... I thought he looked pretty good in the snaps he’s had. I hope no one snags him.

 

Goodbye Boz next year. I realize injuries happen but it's something that you don't expect from your kicker twice in a season.

 

Boswell isn't going anywhere. He is signed through 2022 and he is one of the better kickers in the NFL.

 

I think he'll be a cap casualty

 

That is unlikely. Boswell would be a $4,773,333 cap hit if he is on the roster for 2021. He would cost them $3,376,667 in dead money if they cut him loose. They would also have to sign a replacement, so they end up with a significant downgrade at kicker for a savings of roughly $1 million. It doesn't make sense. Neither does cutting him loose because he got hurt. It isn't as if that has happened often in his career.

 

Tomlin talked about not wanting to overload some guys with snaps while they sit other players. I'm guessing the defensive line was what he had in mind. The temptation must be to sit all three starters, but that is a hell of a lot of snaps for Mondeaux, Davis, Buggs, and Wormley.

They do have the bodies to sit Watt, especially if Adeniyi can play. I actually like the idea of getting Marsh a lot of work before the playoffs.

The real question to me is Spillane. We haven't heard any updates at all. He is eligible to come off IR this week and I think it would be great to get him some snaps before the playoffs, but I'm guessing no news is bad news in this case and he's not ready.

 

I thought I heard on Tomlin's presser that Spillame would not play.

 

I haven't heard the whole presser. That is disappointing.

 

Not good for Boz. Wright has used up his 2 PS elevations, so he’d have to be added to the 53, which we know is tricky. Can’t grab a kicker off the street at this point, so let Waitman do the kicking on Sunday? Pretty sure I read that he can do both.

 

I imagine that would be the play. Drop the illusion of trying to win Sunday. They aren't. They are trying to get through it in the best possible shape for the following week. If that means not having a viable kicker, so be it.

 

I read Cam is out too, but I see he practiced Thursday.

 

This may not be injury or COVID-related but I’m not sure yet: