Though they’re days removed from Week 3’s loss to the Cleveland Browns, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a fairly lengthy injury report. In his weekly Tuesday press conference, Mike Tomlin announced safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is in concussion protocol. In addition to him, CB Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring), OG Kevin Dotson (ankle), and P Pressley Harvin III (hip) are also dealing with injuries ahead of the team’s Week 4 game against the New York Jets.
Witherspoon was the only known injury exiting the Browns’ loss. Tomlin said he could be limited by the injury early in the week.
“From a health standpoint, Witherspoon has a hamstring that could very well limit him,” Tomlin said Tuesday via the team’s YouTube channel. “We’ll see where this week leads us. Minkah is in the concussion protocol. Got evaluated post game and he’s in the protocol.”
Fitzpatrick played every snap against the Browns so he must have felt or expressed symptoms sometime after the game. Tomlin confirmed Harvin approached the team after the game about his hip injury. Dotson also played out the entire game.
“Kevin Dotson has an ankle injury that may limit him somewhat and postgame, Pressley Harvin expressed discomfort in the hip area of inflammation and so we’re monitoring that.”
Tre Norwood would be next-man-up if Fitzpatrick can’t clear protocol this week. At guard, the team could turn to Jesse Davis or Kendrick Green to replace Dotson if he’s not healthy enough to play this weekend. The Steelers are expected to sign punter Jordan Berry to the team’s practice squad as insurance against Harvin if he’s unable to go against New York. If Witherspoon can’t suit up, Cam Sutton and Levi Wallace would serve as the team’s starting outside corners with Sutton most likely remaining as an outside corner in sub-packages. That would open up more time for Arthur Maulet or Norwood in the slot.
