After missing the OTA practices with a calf injury, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Tyson Alualu was able to practice some on Tuesday, the first day of the team’s annual mandatory minicamp, according to several beat writers.
While Alualu was on the field with the rest of his teammates on Tuesday, Chris Mueller of The Beaver County Times reports that the Steelers most expensive offseason free agent acquisition was only able to participate in individual drills.
Alualu, who signed a two-year, $6 million free agent contract with the Steelers this past March after spending his first seven years in the league with the Jacksonville Jaguars, also said Tuesday he “for sure” will be at full health for the start of training camp in late July, according to Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
The Steelers are hoping that Alualu, along with second year defensive lineman Javon Hargrave, can both serve as a primary backups to starting defensive ends Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt in 2017. While Alualu has been slowed by a calf injury so far this offseason, it’s worth pointing out that he never missed a game due to injury during his seven seasons with the Jaguars.
