The Pittsburgh Steelers brought defensive tackle Montravius Adams back from the injured reserve list on Saturday, and placed tackle Calvin Anderson on the IR. Anderson will miss the rest of the regular season, but the Steelers still have chances to get some players back for their late-season gauntlet.
But how many more injured reserve return slots do the Steelers have to use?
Right now, they’ve used six and two three to go. The Steelers have already brought back Adams, Dylan Cook, Jeremiah Moon, Tyler Matakevich, Ben Skowronek and Cory Trice Jr., from the practice squad. Even though Cook is no longer on the team’s 53-man roster, he still counts as one of the IR returns.
Cook and Moon counted when they were put on the IR, before the final cuts to 53 players in August. The other four did not count until they were officially reinstated.
The Steelers could look to return defensive tackle Logan Lee, wide receiver Roman Wilson, cornerback C.J. Henderson or tackle Troy Fautanu at some point this season, but they only have two remaining slots through the end of the regular season.
The Steelers could also choose to use a return slot on a practice squad player. Cornerbacks Anthony Averett and Zyon Gilbert are both on the practice squad injured list.
The rest of the players on the injured reserve list either must stay there for the remainder of the season by rule because they were placed on IR before roster cuts (OLB David Perales, C/G Nate Herbig, SS Ryan Watts), or their injuries are expected to be season ending (P Cameron Johnston, OG James Daniels, DE DeMarvin Leal).
If the Steelers make it to the playoffs, they will get two more return slots, for a total of 10. Fautanu, the team’s first-round draft pick, is expected to miss the rest of the regular season with his knee injury, but could return for the postseason. Anderson will also be eligible to return for the first week of the postseason.
STEELERS INJURED RESERVE TRACKER
OLB David Perales, on IR Aug. 2, ineligible to return
OLB Jeremiah Moon, on IR Aug. 27, returned Oct. 5 (1)
OT Dylan Cook, on IR Aug. 27, returned Oct. 30 (2)
SS Ryan Watts, on IR Aug. 27, ineligible to return
DT Logan Lee, on IR Sept. 7, eligible to returnP Cameron Johnston, on IR Sept. 10, out for season
ILB Tyler Matakevich, on IR Sept. 17, returned Nov. 9 (3)
WR Ben Skowronek, on IR Sept. 18, returned Nov. 9 (4)
OT Troy Fautanu, on IR Sept. 21, eligible to return
CB Cory Trice Jr., on IR Sept. 24, returned Dec. 5 (5)
OG James Daniels, on IR Oct. 1, out for season
DE DeMarvin Leal, on IR Oct. 12, out for season
CB Anthony Averett, on PS IR Oct. 18, eligible to return
DT Montravius Adams, on IR Oct. 22, returned on Dec. 14 (6)
WR Roman Wilson, on IR Oct. 28, eligible to return
CB Zyon Gilbert, on PS IR Nov. 16, eligible to return Week 15
CB C.J. Henderson, on IR Nov. 16, eligible to return Week 15
OT Calvin Anderson, on IR Dec. 15, eligible to return in playoffs
