The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Denver Broncos on Sunday at home and if you’re like me, you’re counting down the hours until the Week 5 game begins. As usual, I will attempt to project the Steelers inactives for every game of the 2021 season and below is my best guess as to which players won’t be given helmets on Sunday against the Broncos.
Game inactives are officially announced 90 minutes before kickoff, so make sure you check back at that time to see the names of the players for both teams who will be sitting the game out. Also, the new roster rules make this exercise even harder as team’s can elevate up to two players from their practice squads to their active roster for gamedays. Team’s also can dress up to 48 players for games if 8 offensive linemen are dressed.
DT Carlos Davis – Davis, like has been the case from Week 2 and on, was officially ruled out on the Steelers injury report on Friday with a knee injury so he will not be playing on Sunday against the Broncos. He’ll be inactive again in Week 5 and that will make four consecutive games. The Steelers figure to dress the same five defensive linemen on Sunday that they have dressed for several games now and that list of players includes Cameron Heyward, Chris Wormley, Isaiah Buggs, Henry Mondeaux and Isaiahh Loudermilk.
CB Cameron Sutton – A groin injury suffered in the Steelers Week 4 game will result in Sutton missing the team’s Sunday home game against the Broncos. After failing to practice all week, Sutton was officially ruled out for the Sunday game on the team’s injury report. With Sutton ruled out for Sunday, cornerback James Pierre will likely start in his place.
WR James Washington – Washington showed up on the Steelers injury report on Thursday with a groin injury after being a limited practice participant. He then failed to practice on Friday and thus entered the weekend listed as ruled out for Sunday’s home game on the team’s injury report. The Steelers will get wide receiver Chase Claypool back on Sunday against the Broncos after he missed the team’s Week 4 game with a hamstring injury. The Steelers signed wide receiver Cody White off the team’s practice squad on Saturday to help make up for Washington being out this week.
QB Dwayne Haskins – Haskins, as expected, was once again one of the Steelers inactive players in Week 4. He remains the Steelers third string quarterback behind Ben Roethlisberger and Mason Rudolph yet again this week so he undoubtedly will be inactive again on Sunday against the Broncos, barring any last-minute injury or surprise. Expect Haskins to continue to show up on the Steelers inactive list quite often throughout the 2021 season.
CB Ahkello Withersoon – The Steelers elevated safety Karl Joseph to the Active/Inactive roster on Saturday and that was probably because the team will not have Sutton on Sunday against the Broncos. Joseph being elevated could very well result in Witherspoon once again being inactive. Witherspoon has dressed just once this season and that was back in Week 2. Witherspoon isn’t much help on special teams and that hurts his chances of being active on Sunday.
ILB Buddy Johnson – Johnson dressed for the Steelers first three games due to injuries at various positions. In Week 4, however, he was inactive and he figures to be on the list again on Sunday against the Broncos.
