Will Russell Wilson’s calf injury turn into a lingering problem for the Steelers?
Russell Wilson was limited in practice on Thursday due to calf tightness, although we don’t know to what extent. He injured his calf during the Steelers’ conditioning test to open training camp but seemed ready to go later on. Though limited in the second preseason game, he played in the third—albeit just one drive.
One almost wonders in hindsight if the Steelers limited Wilson to one drive in the final preseason game because of his calf and worries that he might aggravate it. He played fives drives the week before, but the Steelers were careful about what plays they ran.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin expressed no concerns, long-term or otherwise, about Wilson’s calf, stressing an abundance of caution. But just because you’re abundantly cautious doesn’t mean you don’t need to be. And a calf injury could certainly require caution in abundance.
We will have to see today if Russell Wilson is a full participant in practice, though even that is not completely revealing because Friday practices for Sunday games are little more than walkthroughs. Fully practicing in a walkthrough won’t tell us much but limited or no practice will.
What it won’t tell us is whether Wilson plays in Atlanta. He is a veteran, and even though he is new to the team, he doesn’t need the physical reps just to play. If Tomlin feels Wilson could play if they just let him rest until game time, that is what he’ll do.
My question isn’t about this week, though—it’s about the entire season. Is Russell Wilson going to be dealing with lingering calf issues throughout the year, and how will that limit them? Could it reach a point where they don’t trust his mobility and decide to sit him?
This is all thinking out loud, but naturally, thoughts occur to you when your starting quarterback is dealing with injury. Wilson has a long season to get through, and he won’t have time to rest that calf if he is playing. Considering how important mobility is to his game, this could be a significant impairment if it lingers.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is approaching, following another disappointing year that culminated in a first-round playoff loss. The only change-up in the annual formula lately is whether they exit early or miss the playoffs altogether. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? How will the team continue to address the depth chart?
The regular season is here, following weeks of camp and preseason games. The Steelers made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
