A trio of defensive starters who suffered injuries during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ most recent game were, on Friday, given the official green light to play in the team’s upcoming big division contest.
Inside linebacker Patrick Queen and cornerbacks Joey Porter Jr. and James Pierre missed varying degrees of practice this week but were given no status designations on the week-ending league-mandated injury report. That signifies each will play in Sunday’s showdown for first place in the AFC North at the Baltimore Ravens.
Queen had a glute injury that prevented him from making it through a full practice at any point this week. Porter missed Wednesday’s practice because of an elbow injury but ramped up to limited participation Thursday and was a full go Friday. Pierre was in NFL concussion protocol, but after getting a limited designation for Wednesday’s practice was a full participant Thursday and Friday.
Pierre is expected to share one outside cornerback spot with Asante Samuel, while Porter handles the opposite side. Samuel was added to the active roster this week after making his Steelers debut during last week’s loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Rodgers OK
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers made it through a second consecutive full practice and, as expected, will start in Baltimore. He returned against the Bills following a one-game absence because of a wrist fracture.
Also cleared to play were outside linebacker T.J. Watt (toe) and depth receiver Ben Skowronek (shoulder).
The Steelers previously had announced that rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon would miss a second straight game because of a knee injury.
Starting safety Kyle Dugger (hand) and backup offensive tackle Calvin Anderson (knee) were announced as out for Sunday.
