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Brooke Pryor, ESPN Staff WriterDec 13, 2024, 04:11 PM ET
- Previously covered the Kansas City Chiefs for the Kansas City Star and Oklahoma University for the Oklahoman.
PITTSBURGH — The Steelers will be without top wide receiver George Pickens on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Pickens, dealing with a hamstring injury suffered in the days before the Steelers’ Week 14 win against the Cleveland Browns, was ruled out in Friday’s final injury report after not practicing all week.
Pittsburgh also ruled out safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring) and defensive end Larry Ogunjobi (groin) after neither practiced all week.
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Without Elliott, the Steelers have a significant void in their run defense as they prepare to face NFL leading rusher Saquon Barkley.
“As next man up, I think we predicate ourselves as a defense that prides themselves on smashing the run,” safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said. “So whether our top run defender is out or not, we still got to do that.”
Since being acquired in free agency earlier this year, Elliott has been a disruptive force in the secondary with one interception, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and six passes defensed. With Elliott out, the Steelers will rely more on versatile defensive back Cameron Sutton and safety Damontae Kazee to play alongside Fitzpatrick.
“All the guys that we have in our secondary, we played a lot of ball together,” Fitzpatrick said. “So when a guy does go down, it is comforting to know that we played a lot of ball with the next man up. So there’s not a lot of communication or lack of trust there.”
Ogunjobi has 1.5 sacks this season along 37 tackles, including five for loss. He’s also recorded seven quarterback hits.
With Ogunjobi sidelined, the Steelers will lean on a combination of Dean Lowry, Keeanu Benton and Isaiahh Loudermilk to play up front with Cam Heyward.
The Steelers also listed nose tackle Montravius Adams as questionable for Sunday’s game, though he is still on injured reserve and would have to be activated Saturday in order to play.
