Accidents are as a lot part of soccer as blocking and tackling. The Pittsburgh Steelers could be sensible to remind themselves of that on Sunday towards the Cleveland Browns as they drag their ailing protection to Ohio to compete towards a backup rookie quarterback.
Whereas the Browns are with out QB Deshaun Watson, Pittsburgh’s second and third ranges are battered and bruised. Their greatest two inside linebackers are misplaced for the season. They’re down in these two high safeties, with Minkah Fitzpatrick and Keanu Neal sidelined. That leaves Damontae Kazee and freshman Trenton Thompson, recent off the observe squad.
“Trent will certainly get an opportunity to play this week,” CB Patrick Peterson informed reporters by way of the workforce’s web site on Friday. ‘I am positive he has a hat. We’ll simply must see how the sport performs out. However he had a terrific week of preparation this week.”
Peterson described him as a bodily participant and known as Thompson “a man with a expertise for soccer. He is a man who comes as much as you and hits you. In concord with the protection. I am excited to see him get his alternative and exit and play large for us.”
He was named from the observe squad final week and made seven defensive appearances late within the recreation after Neal’s harm following an interception. A former faculty free agent out of San Diego St. (the place he was briefly teammates with Kazee), he appeared in a single recreation on particular groups for the New York Giants in 2022.
The Giants waived him in late July and the Steelers signed him on August 2 in the midst of coaching camp. Though he flashed in the course of the preseason, he does not plan to match what he did then to what he expects to do in an actual recreation.
I would not evaluate the 2 establishments in any respect,” he informed Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Publish-Gazette. “Preseason I play ballers, do not get me unsuitable. However I am taking part in towards individuals like me who’re making an attempt to kind a workforce. I do not play towards the starters or the fellows who play on actual Sundays.”
He logged 77 complete defensive snaps in the course of the preseason, recording seven tackles and usually holding his personal in protection, together with an interception. He did have some points with missed tackles and together with his run protection, so they might must swap him out for passing conditions and search for a distinct reply to run downs.
The Steelers have already got two different safeties on the roster. Miles Killebrew is primarily right here on particular groups, however they play him in sure roles on protection at occasions. He has scored 16 defensive targets up to now this season.
There’s additionally Elijah Riley, who has been with the workforce since final season and has performed in a brief period of time. They used him primarily as a slot defender this offseason, however he’s extra of a security with slot capacity than a cornerback.
