The Steelers on Friday made an expected move and elevated offensive lineman Derwin Gray off their practice squad, placing offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski on injured reserve.
Wisniewski, signed in the offseason to help bolster the team's offensive line depth, suffered a pectoral injury Monday in the fourth quarter of the Steelers' season-opening 26-16 win over the Giants. He was starting at right guard in place of All-Pro David DeCastro, who was out with a knee injury.
Wisniewski is not expected to miss the remainder of the season. But, because of new rules this season in place to help teams deal with COVID-19, the Steelers can bring him back anytime after three weeks. Wisniewski is expected to be out for around a month.
Gray was a seventh-round draft pick of the Steelers in 2019 out of Maryland.
With both DeCastro and Wisniewski out again this week, the Steelers are expected to start rookie fourth-round draft pick Kevin Dotson at right guard Sunday against the Broncos in their home opener at Heinz Field. DeCastro is expected to return next weekend when the Steelers host the Texans.
Dotson will be part of a revamped offensive line. Right tackle Zach Banner also was injured in Monday night's opener. He was placed on injured reserve earlier this week with a torn ACL. Banner had surgery on the injury Friday.
Third-year pro Chuks Okorafor will make his fifth career start at right tackle against the Broncos, while the Steelers signed veteran Jerald Hawkins, a fourth-round pick by the team in 2016, off the practice squad of the Texans to take Banner's place on the 53-man roster.
DeCastro is the only Steelers player on the injury list against the Broncos.
Denver, meanwhile, has several players who will be out or game-time decisions: Linebacker Mark Barron, released by the Steelers in the offseason, is out with a hamstring injury, as is running back Phillip Lindsay (toe). Left tackle Garrett Bolles (elbow) and wide receivers Courtland Sutton (shoulder) and Tyrie Cleveland (hip) are all listed as questionable. All were limited participants in practice all week.