According to the Monday NFL transaction sheet, the Pittsburgh Steelers did not activate cornerback Isaiah Green from their practice squad and that means they will likely be very thin at the cornerback position for the Monday night game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
With Cortez Allen already ruled out for the game with an ankle injury suffered last week in the season opener against the Tennessee Titans, William Gay will get the start opposite Ike Taylor. In addition, rookie safety Shamarko Thomas is expected to play the nickel corner position in sub packages.
In addition to Allen being out, cornerback Curtis Brown was listed as doubtful on the Saturday injury report with an illness. If he should wind up not dressing for the game, the Steelers will only have defensive back Antwon Blake and safety Robert Golden as potential backups to both Taylor and Gay at the cornerback position.
Golden would figure to be the first player off the bench should either Taylor or Gay go down as Blake is not only undersized, but also unfamiliar with the Steelers defense being as he has only been with the team just a few weeks.
There is an outside chance that Brown dresses for the game, but I did not see any reports of him being upgraded Sunday on the injury report.
The inactives for the game will be released 90 minutes before kickoff and we will pass those along to you as soon as we get them.
