UDPDATE (2:46 PM): Speaking to reporters after practice, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed CB Beanie Bishop Jr. is dealing with an injury.
“It could be characterized as day to day,” said via a team-issued transcript.”
Of all the questions exiting the Pittsburgh Steelers’ preseason finale, the most confounding one was: Why didn’t CB Beanie Bishop Jr. play? For a game teased by defensive coordinator Teryl Austin as make-or-break for Bishop’s role on the team, a goose egg of zero snaps was an alarming sign. Not mentioned by Mike Tomlin post-game, it wasn’t clear why Bishop failed to step onto the field.
Saturday’s practice provided clarity. It appears Bishop suffered a recent injury. The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo shared this clip of Bishop jogging on the side alongside CB Cory Trice Jr., who continues working back from an early-August hamstring injury.
Though there isn’t official word on Bishop’s status, working off to the side during the “open” part of practice that can be filmed next to a rehabbing Trice strongly suggests Bishop had a minor injury. At training camp, injured players spend early portions of practice rehabbing. The same regimen presumably holds true once the team breaks camp.
It is unclear when and how Bishop was injured. Perhaps he tweaked something during pre-game warmups in Carolina. The Panthers’ field was a slick mess, and several Steelers were unable to keep their footing during the game. It’d be easy to slip, twist, or pull a muscle while going through drills before kickoff.
The good news is Bishop didn’t suffer a severe injury. The bad news is he missed out on a final chance to state his case to make the 53-man roster. Shuttled to the back of the pack as a third-string slot corner behind Jalen Ramsey and Brandin Echols, Bishop is without a defensive role. He also lacks the special teams value James Pierre brings.
That could leave Bishop without a spot on the 53-man roster. Tuesday is the NFL cutdown deadline, and Bishop’s standing with the team will soon be made clear.
