The Pittsburgh Steelers won their first preseason game on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, but ultimately they came out losers in the end.
Like any preseason game, the outcome on the scoreboard doesn’t matter as much as coming out of the game healthy.
That didn’t happen for the Steelers as injuries to Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey and second-year defensive end Stephon Tuitt could turn out to prove costly for the black and gold.
Pouncey, who was in a soft cast and on crutches after the game, will need surgery on his injured ankle. No timetable has been given for a potential return.
Tuitt was a little more fortunate as he will only miss a couple of weeks, but what both injuries show is the Steelers total lack of depth at most positions.
While their penciled in starters should be able to compete with most teams, injuries can and will cripple this team as they don’t have quality depth.
Cody Wallace will likely step in at center for Pouncey, with Chris Hubbard also getting a look.
Hubbard has struggled all camp long at both guard and center and came in on Sunday and gave up a pair of sacks.
Behind Hubbard on the depth chart are a pair of rookies, B.J. Finney and Collin Rahrig, who likely won’t make the 53-man roster. And if one of them does, you don’t want them having to play in meaningful games.
Replacing Tuitt is just as bad.
Right now Cam Thomas assumes the starters role. In case you forgot how bad Thomas was during his first season with the Steelers, Pro Football Focus graded him out as the very worst defensive end in the league last year.
If Tuitt’s injury would linger on and he would miss a couple of regular season games, the Steelers would be forced to turn to Thomas and they would be I trouble.
Behind Thomas are rookies Niko Davis and L.T. Walton, along with Matt Conrath, Ethan Hemer and Joe Kruger.
Good teams need quality depth across the football field and needless to say the Steelers depth is going to be tested early on.
If they suffer any more injuries to quality starters, things could get ugly in a hurry.
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