Davis expected to be in starting lineup
PITTSBURGH 鈥� James Harrison won鈥檛 be the only change to the starting defensive lineup Sunday in Cleveland. The Steelers are also expected to start rookie Sean Davis at strong safety.
That, of course, depends on whether Davis can hold on to the first-team position at which he鈥檚 worked this week in practice.
Davis confirmed that he鈥檚 been working solely with the first team this week, but wasn鈥檛 ready to announce himself the starter on Sunday.
Davis had been rotating series with Robert Golden the last two games and called that 鈥渁n open competition.鈥�
Here鈥檚 how defensive coordinator Keith Butler explained the rotation last week:
鈥淢entally, you rarely see Rob G. out of position. There鈥檚 something to be said for that. Plus, he talks a lot. The guy alerts people to a lot of things, so it鈥檚 hard to replace that, even though you鈥檝e got somebody maybe a little bit better physically (in Davis).鈥�
Davis played 43 of the 65 defensive snaps Sunday and made six tackles. He also committed the critical facemask penalty on the penultimate play of the fatal Cowboys final series.
For the season, Davis has 26 tackles and one pass defensed.
Sunday鈥檚 start would be Davis鈥� third of the season, but first at strong safety. His earlier starts were as the slot cornerback.
NO PRYOR INTEREST
No Martavis Bryant.
No Markus Wheaton.
No Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Sammie Coates is working without two fingers.
So, opposite Antonio Brown, the Steelers are using Cobi Hamilton, he of the six practice squads before making his NFL debut this season in Miami.
And between Hamilton and Brown are first-year slot receiver Eli Rogers and four tight ends trying desperately to replace Heath Miller.
It鈥檚 little wonder Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley lamented his team鈥檚 0-for-4 showing in two-point conversions Sunday, among other offensive miscues against the Cowboys.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e had a year in my 20 years when I鈥檝e had this many receivers in and out of the lineup,鈥� Haley said.
So, why, he was asked, didn鈥檛 the normally outside-the-box thinking Steelers take a chance on 6-4陆, 223-pound former quarterback Terrelle Pryor when he was available as a wide receiver in 2015?
鈥淭hat鈥檚 really a question for Kevin (Colbert),鈥� Haley said of the Steelers GM. 鈥淭here are lots of things floated to me, but how things turn out I don鈥檛 have anything to do with.鈥�
Pryor, a former Parade National Player of the Year at nearby Jeannette High School, who used his 4.33 speed as a read-option quarterback at Ohio State, and who washed out as a quarterback with four NFL teams, turned to receiver with the Cleveland Browns.
He was cut once in September of 2015, but re-signed with the Browns last December and caught a 42-yard pass against the Steelers.
This season, Pryor鈥檚 emerged as a legitimate threat. He鈥檚 caught 51 passes for 627 yards (12.3 avg.) and four touchdowns.
Pryor said the only time he鈥檚 ever heard from the Steelers was when he met with Mike Tomlin before the supplemental draft in 2011.
鈥淲e talked about them possibly drafting me,鈥� Pryor said. 鈥淚 just told them it鈥檚 pretty close to home and I played quarterback. I didn鈥檛 really feel comfortable playing there at quarterback because of all the people I know, people knew me. It could get messy and the focus can鈥檛 be there, so I kind of told them as much as I wanted to play, because obviously it鈥檚 a great organization, but at the same time it probably wouldn鈥檛 have worked out because there would鈥檝e been a lot of focus issues.鈥�
Pryor was drafted in the third round by the Oakland Raiders and beat the Steelers as a quarterback in 2013 with the help of a 93-yard touchdown run, the longest run by a quarterback in NFL history.
Was that the most satisfying play of his pro career?
鈥淣ah, I don鈥檛 think so,鈥� Pryor said. 鈥淚鈥檓 gonna make one this weekend that鈥檚 going to be real satisfying.鈥�
DUPREE DECISION TODAY
Bud Dupree said he鈥檒l be told today by the team whether he鈥檒l be activated for Sunday鈥檚 game in Cleveland.
Dupree has been on Injured Reserve since the start of the season and was designated for return last Wednesday. The Steelers had 21 days since then to activate him. Today could be that day.
鈥淚鈥檓 good,鈥� said the outside linebacker, who鈥檚 recovered from a sports hernia. 鈥淚鈥檓 not behind in my conditioning level. Being on the field doing all this stuff is good for me.鈥�
Dupree confirmed that he took three reps with the first-team defense on Thursday. The rest of his work, he said, was with the scout team.
INJURY REPORT
Cameron Heyward (pectoral) is out for the season and Darrius Heyward-Bey (foot) is out at least this week. He鈥檚 off crutches and hopes to return before the end of the season.
Also missing practice Thursday were Wheaton (shoulder), RB DeAngelo Williams (knee) and S Shamarko Thomas (groin).
Among the Browns missing the last two practices was LT Joe Thomas (knee). Browns CB Joe Haden was limited with a groin injury on Thursday.