The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Green Bay Packers on Sunday on the road and if you’re like me, you’re counting down the hours until the Week 4 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 Packers.
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 was the case again in Week 3, 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 Packers. He’ll be inactive again in Week 4 and that will make three consecutive games. The Steelers signed defensive Henry Mondeaux from the team’s practice squad last week and he played in Week 3, so look for him and rookie defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk to both be active again on Sunday against the Packers along with fellow defensive linemen Cameron Heyward, Chris Wormley and Isaiah Buggs.
T Chukwuma Okorafor – A concussion suffered in the Steelers Week 3 game will result in Okorafor missing the team’s Sunday road game against the Packers. After failing to practice all week, Okorafor was officially ruled out for the Sunday game on the team’s injury report. With Okorafor ruled out for Sunday, tackle Joe Haeg will start in his place. Sunday will mark the first time that Okorafor has been inactive since the 2019 season.
G Rashaad Coward – The Steelers ruled Coward out for the team’s week 4 Sunday road game against the Packers after he failed to practice on Thursday and Friday due to an ankle injury. Coward initially showed up on the team’s injury report on Wednesday as a limited practice participant and proceeded to go downhill from there. Coward has yet to be active for a game this season as he was a healthy scratch for the team’s first three contests. Barring injuries, Coward figures to be a mainstay on the Steelers inactive list throughout most of the rest of the 2021 season.
WR Chase Claypool – Claypool showed up on the Steelers injury report on Thursday with a hamstring injury after being a limited practice participant. He then failed to practice on Friday and thus entered the weekend listed as questionable on the team’s injury report. On Saturday, the Steelers downgraded Claypool to out on their injury report and that will result in him being inactive on Sunday against the Packers.
QB Dwayne Haskins – Haskins, as expected, was once again of the Steelers inactive players in Week 3. He remains the Steelers third string quarterback behind Ben Roethlisberger and Mason Rudolph this week so he undoubtedly will be inactive again on Sunday against the Packers, 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 Witherspoon – The last Steelers inactive might be Witherspoon once again. He was inactive in Week 1 and Week 3 and with him not being a big asset on special teams, it’s very likely that he’ll once again be a healthy scratch on Sunday against the Packers. The Steelers traded for Witherspoon right before the regular season got underway and he’s played all of four defensive snaps and one special teams snap in 2021.
ILB Buddy Johnson – Johnson dressed for the Steelers first three games due to injuries at various positions. In Week 4, however, it sure seems like Johnson might be the odd man. The Steelers need seven inactive players on Sunday following two players being elevated from the practice squad on Saturday in the form of Chaz Green and Cody White.
