No timetable for TE Green’s return to game action
PITTSBURGH 鈥� In two practices, tight end Ladarius Green has impressed the Pittsburgh Steelers with his understanding of the offense. However, no one鈥檚 ready to set a timetable on his return to game action.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 get into that,鈥� said offensive coordinator Todd Haley. 鈥淗e鈥檚 out here. He鈥檚 working. He鈥檚 progressing. When the time comes to make that decision, coach will have the final say.鈥�
The Steelers finished up their bye week work schedule Tuesday. They won鈥檛 practice again until Monday and won鈥檛 play again until the following Sunday, Nov. 6, at Baltimore.
By that time, they hope to have Ben Roethlisberger back, and having Green on the field would give the QB a 6-6, 240-pounder who, according to Haley, 鈥渋s a big body, rangy guy who can run. He can take short passes, much like some of our receivers, and turn them into big plays. He鈥檚 a big target. He鈥檒l help across the board. When you have a big target to throw to, who knows how to get open, that adds one more weapon. We can create matchups in the pass game specifically to move the football.鈥�
Green, of course, has been out of action since he signed a four-year, $20 million deal as a free agent from San Diego last March. He underwent ankle surgery and has been on the PUP list until this week. The Steelers have less than three weeks to activate him, otherwise he stays on the PUP list the rest of the year.
Any guess at a timetable?
鈥淓verybody鈥檚 different,鈥� Haley said. 鈥淟adarius obviously has stayed in it mentally, which is real impressive for as long as he鈥檚 been sitting on the outside. Just from these first couple practices, the mental side of it is not an issue. We haven鈥檛 been in pads. We鈥檝e got to get in pads and see where he is in that way, but just what we鈥檝e seen to this point has been real positive and shown a lot about him.鈥�
Ben, again
Roethlisberger participated in individual drills for a second consecutive day and is causing optimism that he鈥檒l return soon from knee surgery nine days ago.
鈥淗e was moving a little bit and got to make some throws,鈥� said quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always good when he鈥檚 working with the young quarterbacks, too.鈥�
Could he have done more?
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know because we didn鈥檛 push him much,鈥� Fichtner said. 鈥淗e probably wouldn鈥檛 want to do more. I think the schedule says hold till next week. That would give him four more days to rest.鈥�
Fichtner said that having Roethlisberger back on the practice field next week would 鈥淏e great. But we鈥檝e got to get prepared as if he鈥檚 not. We鈥檒l just wait and see what the doctor says.鈥�
WR jumble
Injuries, ineffectiveness and improvement have thrown the wide receiver group into a bit of a jumble.
Here鈥檚 what the coaches had to say about the individuals:
n Eli Rogers 鈥� Didn鈥檛 play in the last game even though he said he was over his turf toe injury. 鈥淗e鈥檚 just got to do the little things,鈥� said Haley. 鈥淗e鈥檚 got to show that he鈥檚 accountable and that we can trust him that he鈥檒l be the same guy every day. If he does that, he鈥檚 shown he can do the things on the field necessary to make plays and help us.鈥�
n Cobi Hamilton 鈥� Promoted from practice squad two games ago because of injuries to Sammie Coates and Markus Wheaton. 鈥淗e鈥檚 done a very good job in the run game,鈥� Haley said. 鈥淗e gives us a big receiver that can block the force 鈥� the safety 鈥� in some of our run looks. He鈥檚 another big target that hasn鈥檛 been afraid to make plays. He made a couple critical third-down conversions in the (last) game. Miami was probably over but he got in that game and made some plays. He鈥檚 a hungry guy who wants to contribute and be a complete football player/ For our team, with how we鈥檙e capable of running the football, that means the dirty work of blocking. That鈥檚 impressed everybody.鈥�
n Wheaton, Coates 鈥� Receivers coach Richard Mann confirmed Wheaton took part in individual drills this week after missing five games intermittently with a shoulder injury. Wheaton said on Monday that he expects to practice next week and play at Baltimore. Coates continues to practice with a broken index finger.