Following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ final exhibition game of 2024, a 24-17 loss to the Detroit Lions Saturday afternoon, head coach Mike Tomlin offered an injury recap. Most notable was the injury suffered by rookie S Ryan Watts, who took a knee to the head attempting to make a tackle with less than two minutes to go in the game.
“Cory Trice [Jr.] had a groin,” Tomlin said via the team’s YouTube channel. “[Julius Welschof] had a knee that’s being evaluated. And you guys obviously saw Ryan Watts. I think [that] can be described as a stinger. But he’s still being evaluated as we speak.”
Watts remained face down on the field for several moments before getting to his feet. Fortunately, he was able to walk off the field under his own power, a remarkable sight considering how scary the injury looked initially. Watts is attempting to make the Steelers’ roster as the fifth and final safety and entered the game on the roster bubble. A stinger would be a best-case scenario.
Trice got the start in place of CB Joey Porter Jr. He had a solid game, making tackles downhill and defending the screen/quick game effectively. If his groin injury potentially impacts his Week 1 readiness, the Steelers could be missing their dime defender and a potential backup outside corner. Pittsburgh could look to the waiver wire and free agent pool for cornerback depth.
Tomlin said Porter had a minor injury and he decided to rest him in the finale. Rookie linebacker Payton Wilson was also held out of the finale. Tomlin confirmed that Wilson cleared protocol, but it was a coach’s decision to sit him.
Welschof, an undrafted rookie, had a strong game with a pair of sacks. Hopefully his knee injury isn’t serious. If healthy, he’ll land on the practice squad as the team’s international exemption, which allows them to keep 17 players. Welschof did not count against the team’s offseason roster, permitting the Steelers to carry 91 players this summer.
