The Steelers found themselves down five defensive starters in the second half of their 26-17 loss to the Raiders last Sunday.
And given the state of their injuries, they're likely to be missing some of those players again this Sunday when they host the Bengals.
But they might be getting at least one -- and possibly two -- key contributors back. According to fellow inside linebacker Joe Schobert, Devin Bush, who suffered a groin injury last Friday in preparation for the game against the Raiders, was back at practice Wednesday.
Without Bush available against the Raiders, Robert Spillane started at inside linebacker next to Schobert.
"Spill does a good job when he’s out there," Schobert said. "They’ve both been here longer than me. They both talk and are communicative. But it’s always nice to have Devin back."
The Steelers also could potentially get T.J. Watt back for the game. Watt left in the second quarter, also with a groin injury. But Schobert expects Watt, the NFL's highest-paid defensive player and 2020 NFL sack leader, to at least try to give it a go this week.
"He had two or three knee injuries in a row, two or three years. He worked hard and got back," Schobert said. "Obviously, he’s built a heck of a career after that point. He’s going to do whatever he can to get on the field. I’ve seen that since I’ve known him. I trust he’s going to be smart about his body, but I also trust he’s going to want to get out there because he’s a competitor. He wants to play."
The Steelers also have cornerback Joe Haden and outside linebacker Alex Highsmith dealing with groin injuries, while quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said Wednesday he remains hopeful he can play, as well, on Sunday. Roethlisberger has a left pectoral muscle injury.
A full injury report from Steelers practice will be available later.
