6:35pm: Fautanu maywell end up missing much more than a month. Dulac reports the injury is set to sideline him for most, if not all, of the season’s remainder. Fautanu had red flags coming into the draft for medical reasons, and his rookie campaign appears to already be over due to his latest ailment.
4:20pm: The Steelers have officially moved Fautanu to injured reserve, ensuring that he will miss at least the next four games because of his knee injury, per Teresa Varley of Steelers.com. Jones will be ready to take over the starting role versus the Chargers tomorrow.
In addition to Fautanu’s placement on IR, the team is also promoting offensive lineman John Leglue and cornerback James Pierre from the practice squad. As standard gameday practice squad elevations, Leglue and Pierre will revert back to the practice squad after tomorrow’s game.
9:02am: The Steelers will be without their starting right tackle for the foreseeable future. Rookie Troy Fautanu injured his knee during yesterday’s practice and is sidelined indefinitely, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The lineman is set to undergo further testing, and Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the rookie definitely won’t be playing in Week 3. Offensive tackle Broderick Jones told reporters yesterday that his teammate suffered “a little tweak” to his knee (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor).
The Steelers selected Fautanu with the 20th-overall pick in this past year’s draft. The rookie was sidelined with an MCL injury during the preseason, and he didn’t end up seeing the field for the team’s season-opener. With Jones struggling at RT, coach Mike Tomlin said the team would likely rotate tackles during Week 2.
While Fautanu garnered the start, Tomlin did initially stick to his rotational plan. However, as Pryor points out, Jones proceeded to commit three penalties in a six-play span, leading to the rookie playing out the contest. Fautanu finished the game getting into 55 offensive snaps, with the lineman earning praise from Pro Football Focus for his pass-blocking prowess.
With Fautanu now sidelined, the Steelers will likely turn back to Jones. Outside of LT Dan Moore Jr., the team’s only other healthy offensive tackle is practice squad rookie Doug Nester. For what it’s worth, Jones recognized his struggles through the first two weeks, and Tomlin believes the former first-round pick is prime for a rebound.
“He’s a talented young player,” Tomlin said (via Pryor). “I’m sure he suffered some disappointment in terms of Troy starting. It’s a natural thing, but he’s got to move past it. I got to give him an opportunity to move past it as a leader.”
The Steelers’ offensive line has already been wrecked by injuries. Center Nate Herbig is likely out for the year while recovering from a torn rotator cuff, and guard Isaac Seumalo hasn’t played this season while dealing with a pectoral injury.
The plot thickens with the Broderick Jones storyline
Doesn’t bode well for our win streak.
I’m sorry but with Fields as the starting QB, the win streak was already set to not last. Time to turn back into a pumpkin pretty soon
I think Fields can be a good QB in the right system, but our offense isn’t exactly elite this season.
Khan artist right guys!? He just never makes a bad move everything he does is God-like!
Not.
How in the world is Fautanu injuring his knee in practice the GM’s fault?
Yup picking fragile players. Broderick hurt. Fautanu hurt. Both reaches on top of it.
What a moronic statement. If he was God like he surely would have taught you a lesson by now. I mean he has all the powers to injure players and mortal humans.
Get a clue. Once you find the clue, get lost
I’ve forgotten more than you’ve learned pal. Just another bust pick by the Steelers. 4 years and counting. Harris, Pickett, jones, fautanu. lol.
*sigh*
Time to get Okorafor on the phone?
Not an option currently, as he’s on Patriots “exempt/left squad” list, which is essentially like being on IR. They would have to work out a settlement and release him.
And in any case, no thanks. He wasn’t very good, and also I think he burned his bridges in Pittsburgh before he left.
If coradell Patterson is one of the great kickoff and punt returners, why arent the Steelers using him on returns?
I’m amazed at some of the BS going on with the team. They look like crap today on offense. Fields doesn’t have a chance