The Steelers are now in their offseason after failing to reach the playoffs in 2022, coming up just a game short of sneaking in as the seventh seed. They needed help in week 18 and only got some of it, so instead they sat home and watched the playoffs with the rest of us.
On tap is figuring out how to be on the field in January and February instead of being a spectator. They started out 2-6, digging a hole that proved too deep to dig out of even if they managed to go 7-2 in the second half of the year.
Starting from the end of the regular season and leading all the way up to the beginning of the 2023 season, there are plenty of questions that need answered, starting with who will be the offensive coordinator. Which free agents will be kept? Who might be let go due to their salary? How might they tackle free agency with this new front office? We’ll try to frame the conversation in relevant ways as long as you stick with us throughout this offseason, as we have for many years.
Question: Will any Steelers open training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform List?
Things get underway at Saint Vincent College today for the 2023 edition of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ training camp. There isn’t much going on Day One, truthfully—perhaps a handful of interviews. In terms of tangible information, the chief thing to look out for is injury updates via transaction notices.
Primarily, players being moved to the Active/Physically Unable to Perform List. Players can find themselves on PUP for a variety of reasons, including simple failure to complete the conditioning test, so just because a name goes on the list doesn’t mean there’s something seriously wrong.
But the Steelers do have some players who have had some injury ailments, either from this offseason or going back to last year. The biggest question mark is new ILB Cole Holcomb, who was signed as an unrestricted free agent. He was a limited participant in the spring because of the lingering effects of foot surgery, which ended his 2022 season.
Other than that, there shouldn’t be any obvious concerns, but there’s always the possibility. WRs Allen Robinson II and Calvin Austin III both had foot injuries end their 2022 season as well. Both, however, were working as full participants by the end of the spring.
One other name that may be worth noting is Pat Freiermuth, who was dealing with some ailments described as minor during OTAs and minicamp, something like a hamstring injury or in that vein. He said himself he’ll be ready for training camp, but it did limit him back in May and June so it’s still worth acknowledging.
Plus, there’s always the possibility of a surprise, an injury we didn’t know about, an injury that developed during the break, or simply someone not passing the conditioning test. That’s always a risk with rookies no matter how inspiring a speech they may get. Right, Jonathan Dwyer?
