Green’s return a mystery
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Ladarius Green is eligible to return to practice, and sources say he鈥檚 been cleared medically, but the big tight end didn鈥檛 practice on Wednesday.
No explanation was provided. Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that he would confer with his medical staff and outline a plan, but obviously that plan doesn鈥檛 include Green playing Sunday against the New England Patriots.
The bye week follows Sunday鈥檚 game.
The Steelers have five weeks from this past Monday to decide whether Green will come off the PUP list and practice, and once he practices they have 21 days to activate him or keep him on the PUP list the remainder of the season.
Neither Tomlin nor Green commented on the matter, but a couple of the team leaders tried to provide some perspective.
鈥淗opefully there鈥檚 trust,鈥� said Cam Heyward. 鈥淗opefully, they鈥檙e both on the same page about it. I can鈥檛 speak on it more than that. I will say that timing is everything. You never know what we might be dealing with.鈥�
鈥淎 player鈥檚 coming back from an injury,鈥� said Arthur Moats, 鈥渁nd if they鈥檙e not in playing shape, then you鈥檙e just opening him up for other injuries, soft-tissue stuff, because they haven鈥檛 done the training camp stuff, they haven鈥檛 done the OTAs. Their body just physically isn鈥檛 used to the pounding yet.鈥�
Another issue might be the fact Green would take reps away from a player who鈥檚 preparing to play Sunday.
鈥淏ut I feel you would gauge him by starting him out with the look (scout) team,鈥� Moats said.
Perhaps the bye week provides better timing for Green鈥檚 return?
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know, because the bye week isn鈥檛 what it used to be,鈥� Moats said. 鈥淧re-CBA, you鈥檙e practicing the whole week. Now you get, what, two days? What are you going to tell in two days? Then the guy鈥檚 off till the following Monday. So, I really don鈥檛 know.鈥�
That seems to be the only answer at the moment.
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS
Heyward and Ben Roethlisberger have been ruled out of Sunday鈥檚 game, and Roethlisberger鈥檚 time frame has been defined by team president Art Rooney as 2-6 weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Roethlisberger had told the Post-Gazette he鈥檚 aiming to play against the Baltimore Ravens following the bye week, but that complications from last year鈥檚 deep bruise could delay the return further.
The good news is that inside linebacker Ryan Shazier returned to practice, albeit in a limited capacity, and that right tackle Marcus Gilbert is expected to return for Thursday鈥檚 practice.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know how limited he might be, but he鈥檒l be here tomorrow,鈥� Maurkice Pouncey said of his linemate. 鈥淵eah, he鈥檚 all good.鈥�
Shazier spoke with excitement about the challenge of playing against Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, and thus was asked if he expects to play.
鈥淲e鈥檒l see,鈥� Shazier said.
When asked if he was optimistic, Shazier said, 鈥淵eah, I definitely felt pretty good out there. We鈥檙e just going to have to see what the coaches and training staff say.鈥�
Shazier said he also expects outside linebacker Bud Dupree to return from Injured Reserve as planned in the second half of the season. Dupree is also eligible to practice this week, but can鈥檛 play until Week 9 against the Ravens.
Also missing practice Wednesday were reserve safety Shamarko Thomas (groin), reserve center Cody Wallace (knee), wide receiver Markus Wheaton (shoulder) and running back DeAngelo Williams (knee).
Also limited during Wednesday鈥檚 practice were starting safeties Robert Golden (foot) and Mike Mitchell (knee).
BRADY ACTUALLY LIKES PITTSBURGH
After the Patriots鈥� 41-27 win over the Steelers in the 2004 season AFC Championship Game, Tom Brady and a teammate were filmed walking off Heinz Field with Brady talking about how much he disliked 鈥渢his place.鈥� He was asked about it on a conference call Wednesday and whether his feelings have changed.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a tough place to play because the fans are so into it,鈥� he said after chuckling. 鈥淚 was much younger then, so I probably wasn鈥檛, you know, you probably say things when you鈥檙e young that you wish you wouldn鈥檛 have said. That鈥檚 probably one of them. I actually have a lot of respect for Pittsburgh. I鈥檝e got some great friends from Pittsburgh.鈥�
Brady named some of his friends in town, said he鈥檚 golfed at Oakmont with Jerome Bettis and added, 鈥淚 really enjoy that city. It鈥檚 a great place. Very hard-working town and I think they love their football.鈥�
What kind of reaction does he receive in Pittsburgh?
鈥淵ou know, surprising, pretty good, a pretty nice reaction. But I鈥檓 sure it鈥檒l be different on Sunday. I鈥檓 sure they won鈥檛 love seeing us come into town, but we鈥檒l be excited. It鈥檒l be a great environment for football.鈥�