Although seemingly not in the future plans of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Max Starks told Josina Anderson of ESPN that he\’s “just about two months away” from receiving medical clearance to resume football activities once again. Starks tore his right ACL in the AFC Wild Card game against the Denver Broncos.
Starks has been giving updates all off-season and has expressed his desire to play in 2012, even if it isn\’t with the Steelers, the only team he has played for since being drafted in the 3rd round of the 2004 draft.
The two month time table would put Starks as being cleared just as training camps around the league start, and although it was reported last week that the 30 year old tackle recently said that he has yet to hear from the Steelers about a possible return, he was at their facilities this past week having his knee checked out.
The Steelers left tackle situation still seems very cloudy right now as both Trai Essex and Jonathan Scott both took snaps at the position this past week during the teams\’ first OTA session of the 2012 season. Second round draft pick Mike Adams missed the first session and will miss the next two as well because of the graduation rules at Ohio State. He will not be able to practice with the team until the June mini-camp. Second year tackle Marcus Gilbert also let be known this past week that he should not be considered out of the running for the left tackle spot in addition.
Scott started the first three weeks of the 2011 season at left tackle for the Steelers. An ankle injury forced him to miss the week 4 game against the Houston Texans and Essex was forced to start in his place. Starks, who was released after the 2010 season, was signed back to the roster following the loss to the Texans and started at left tackle for the remainder of the season.
Once healthy, Starks might have the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts as suitors because of the obvious links to the former Steelers coaches that currently reside on both of those teams.
