The Pittsburgh Steelers will be at full health in Week 1's matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. After doubt throughout the week on the status of offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor and wideout Diontae Johnson, it seems the two will be good to go.
Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
Early in the week, there seemed to be some doubt in both players seeing the field to start the season. Offensive coordinator Matt Canada and wide receiver Chase Claypool provided encouraging reports on Thursday though, which turned the tide on the status of those two. Johnson's been dealing with a shoulder injury for awhile now, but he is clearly healthy enough to be at least close to himself this weekend.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Chris Adamski provided the news on Johnson's availability for Sunday.
Diontae Johnson (shoulder) is “ready to go… good to go” for Sunday vs Bengals pic.twitter.com/l2lRwuZiOp
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) September 9, 2022
ESPN's Brooke Pryor was on the update regarding Okorafor and his back injury:
RT Chuks Okorafor (back) said he’s good to go for Sunday and didn’t have any limitations at practice today.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) September 9, 2022
Via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Brian Batko, Johnson clarified that he simply had a cramping issue on Thursday. The star wideout said he simply needs to hydrate better. Both Johnson and Okorafor were full participants at practice on Friday, signifying they are ready to go in what should be physical game against the Bengals.
Losing either one of those two in the lineup would have been massive. Johnson has established himself as the team's primary, go-to target, and the offense would have had to rely on the young guys to carry the burden. Jesse Davis would have likely started in Okorafor's absence, which would have been a downgrade to an already suspect offensive line.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 2: Jesse Davis #77 of the Miami Dolphins walks off the field after a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on January 2, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans defeated the Dolphins 34-3. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
How big is this news for this weekend? Does this make you confident that the Steelers can leave Cincinnati with a Week 1 win? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below, and interact with our social media sites as well!
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