The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night at home and if you’re like me, you’re counting down the hours until the Week 6 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 night against the Seahawks.
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 night against the Seahawks. He’ll be inactive again in Week 6 and that will make five consecutive games. The Steelers figure to dress the same five defensive linemen on Sunday night 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. Davis was limited in practice all three days this past week so odds are good he’ll be ready to play after the Steelers bye week.
QB Dwayne Haskins – Haskins, as expected, was once again one of the Steelers inactive players in Week 5. He still 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 night against the Seahawks, 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 should get cornerback Cameron Sutton back healthy on Sunday night against the Seahawks and assuming that’s the case, look for Witherspoon to once again be inactive. Witherspoon, who missed a practice this past week fir an unknown reason, hasn’t been active for a game since Week 2. Witherspoon is not an asset on special teams and that continues to hurt his chances of getting a helmet on a weekly basis.
ILB Buddy Johnson – Johnson dressed for the Steelers first three games due to injuries at various positions. In Week 4 and Week 5 he was inactive and he figures to be on the list again on Sunday night against the Seahawks. The Steelers have been dressing inside linebackers Devin Bush, Joe Schobert, Robert Spillane, Marcus Allen and Ulysees Gilbert III the last few weeks.
T Zach Banner – The Steelers activated Banner from the teams Reserve/Injured list on Saturday. Will he be active on Sunday night against the Seahawks? That’s the big question right now. The Steelers will likely have at least one offensive lineman inactive Sunday night and if that’s the case, it’s likely to be either Banner or fellow tackle Joe Haeg. Haeg can play both right and left tackle and has played some so far this season so don’t be surprised if Banner winds up being the odd man out Sunday night despite him now being back on the 53-man-roster
