The injuries continue to stack up for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rookie defensive lineman, DeMarvin Leal has been placed on Injured Reserve with a knee injury. The specifics of the knee injury haven't been disclosed yet, but it was likely suffered in practice late in the week. He didn't appear on the injury report until Friday, where he was declared out for the weekend.
Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
Since it's his first time on the IR, he is eligible to return this season. He must miss a minimum of four games and beyond that, we'll see if he's healed and ready to come back. Leal has seen an uptick in playing time over the last three weeks, playing 41.1% of the defense's snaps in the Week 5 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He's displayed just why the team took him in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, as he looks to be a big part of the defense's future.
The team also made several moves in the secondary, as the top three cornerbacks and Minkah Fitzpatrick will all be inactive on Sunday. After seeing some snaps last weekend, former second-round CB Josh Jackson has officially been signed to the 53-man roster. He'll start on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their talented wide receiver group, which will be a big opportunity to help revitalize his career. The moves were announced by the Steelers on Saturday afternoon.
We have:
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 15, 2022
• Placed DE DeMarvin Leal on the Injured/Reserve List
• Promoted CB Joshua Jackson to the 53-man roster
• Elevated CB Quincy Wilson & S Elijah Riley from the practice squad to the Active/Inactive roster@BordasLawhttps://t.co/zSCFcQseK8
DB’s Elijah Riley and Quincy Wilson have been elevated from the 16-man practice squad to the active roster for Week 6. They'll see some action as well with the aforementioned injuries. It'll be a long day for the Steelers secondary. Not only do they have several injuries, but they have the task of facing Tom Brady as they try and avoid a fifth consecutive loss.
Credit: Associated Press
Riley racked up seven starts for the New York Jets at free safety last season. He played 78% of their defensive snaps and before that, he spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles. Pro Football Focus gave him a 58.1 grade for the 2021 season in his eight games played. Wilson was a second round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of the University of Florida. He's bounced around the league over the past five years, making just 32 appearances and 11 starts overall.
How big is the loss of DeMarvin Leal for the Steelers defensive line and run defense? Who do you think will step up in the secondary on Sunday? Should general manager, Omar Khan look to make a trade somewhere? Share your thoughts in the comment section, as well as on all of our social media sites!
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