The Pittsburgh Steelers are just days away from Tuesday’s deadline when they and the rest of the NFL must cutdown their rosters from 90 to 53. The reality is it isn’t always the best 53 who make the squad. The healthiest 53 have to make it. And injuries to one player can change a team’s plans. Speaking to reporters following the team’s Saturday practice, head coach Mike Tomlin noted (or was asked about) TE Zach Gentry, spotted in a boot on his left foot. Per The Trib’s Joe Rutter, Tomlin said Gentry was “fine.”
Ostensibly, Gentry was injured in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons. Today served as the team’s first practice since that game and the first time for reporters to observe who was healthy and who wasn’t. After the game, Tomlin said the team suffered no significant injuries, which tracks with his comments today, but it’s still notable for Gentry.
A big-bodied blocker, Gentry’s roster spot has been losing security. After a slow start, rookie TE Darnell Washington has come on strong and has leapt Gentry for playing time. Even if Gentry were to be fully healthy, it’s doubtful he would’ve gotten a Week One helmet over Washington. Gentry looks to be the team’s fourth-string tight end and there’s a chance he could lose his roster spot if the team wanted to be heavier at another position, like wide receiver. Rodney Williams is the team’s fifth-string tight end, who impressed on special teams this summer.
Ending with a C+ grade, here was our assessment on Gentry this camp.
“Gentry was the quietest and most overlooked name in a deep tight end room. But that doesn’t mean he had a bad camp. His blocking looked a bit better than the regular season a year ago and he practiced every day (winning our “Fan Friendly” award).
His receptions were most often underneath and of the checkdown variety, with one or two grabs on corner routes down the sideline and had just 12 receptions for less than 100 yards across practice. Still, he had four touchdowns. Darnell Washington should steal his snaps, but Gentry could still make the 53 as an insurance policy and No. 4 tight end.”
As of this writing, Tomlin has not provided an update on those who did not play Thursday. That includes DL Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi along with OL James Daniels and Nate Herbig. Tomlin called Heyward’s and Daniels’ injuries “day-to-day” while Ogunjobi has been battling a foot injury (himself in a boot for several days) while Herbig has been bothered by a shoulder.
UPDATE (3:59 PM): Per Rutter, Herbig says that he expects to be healthy enough for the Week One game against the San Francisco 49ers on September 10.
“I’m ready to play,” Herbig told Rutter.
