No timetable for TE Green’s return to game action
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� In two practices, tight end Ladarius Green has impressed the Pittsburgh Steelers with his understanding of the offense. However, no one无毛视频檚 ready to set a timetable on his return to game action.
无毛视频淚 wouldn无毛视频檛 get into that,无毛视频� said offensive coordinator Todd Haley. 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 out here. He无毛视频檚 working. He无毛视频檚 progressing. When the time comes to make that decision, coach will have the final say.无毛视频�
The Steelers finished up their bye week work schedule Tuesday. They won无毛视频檛 practice again until Monday and won无毛视频檛 play again until the following Sunday, Nov. 6, at Baltimore.
By that time, they hope to have Ben Roethlisberger back, and having Green on the field would give the QB a 6-6, 240-pounder who, according to Haley, 无毛视频渋s a big body, rangy guy who can run. He can take short passes, much like some of our receivers, and turn them into big plays. He无毛视频檚 a big target. He无毛视频檒l help across the board. When you have a big target to throw to, who knows how to get open, that adds one more weapon. We can create matchups in the pass game specifically to move the football.无毛视频�
Green, of course, has been out of action since he signed a four-year, $20 million deal as a free agent from San Diego last March. He underwent ankle surgery and has been on the PUP list until this week. The Steelers have less than three weeks to activate him, otherwise he stays on the PUP list the rest of the year.
Any guess at a timetable?
无毛视频淓verybody无毛视频檚 different,无毛视频� Haley said. 无毛视频淟adarius obviously has stayed in it mentally, which is real impressive for as long as he无毛视频檚 been sitting on the outside. Just from these first couple practices, the mental side of it is not an issue. We haven无毛视频檛 been in pads. We无毛视频檝e got to get in pads and see where he is in that way, but just what we无毛视频檝e seen to this point has been real positive and shown a lot about him.无毛视频�
Ben, again
Roethlisberger participated in individual drills for a second consecutive day and is causing optimism that he无毛视频檒l return soon from knee surgery nine days ago.
无毛视频淗e was moving a little bit and got to make some throws,无毛视频� said quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 always good when he无毛视频檚 working with the young quarterbacks, too.无毛视频�
Could he have done more?
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 know because we didn无毛视频檛 push him much,无毛视频� Fichtner said. 无毛视频淗e probably wouldn无毛视频檛 want to do more. I think the schedule says hold till next week. That would give him four more days to rest.无毛视频�
Fichtner said that having Roethlisberger back on the practice field next week would 无毛视频淏e great. But we无毛视频檝e got to get prepared as if he无毛视频檚 not. We无毛视频檒l just wait and see what the doctor says.无毛视频�
WR jumble
Injuries, ineffectiveness and improvement have thrown the wide receiver group into a bit of a jumble.
Here无毛视频檚 what the coaches had to say about the individuals:
n Eli Rogers 无毛视频� Didn无毛视频檛 play in the last game even though he said he was over his turf toe injury. 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 just got to do the little things,无毛视频� said Haley. 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 got to show that he无毛视频檚 accountable and that we can trust him that he无毛视频檒l be the same guy every day. If he does that, he无毛视频檚 shown he can do the things on the field necessary to make plays and help us.无毛视频�
n Cobi Hamilton 无毛视频� Promoted from practice squad two games ago because of injuries to Sammie Coates and Markus Wheaton. 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 done a very good job in the run game,无毛视频� Haley said. 无毛视频淗e gives us a big receiver that can block the force 无毛视频� the safety 无毛视频� in some of our run looks. He无毛视频檚 another big target that hasn无毛视频檛 been afraid to make plays. He made a couple critical third-down conversions in the (last) game. Miami was probably over but he got in that game and made some plays. He无毛视频檚 a hungry guy who wants to contribute and be a complete football player/ For our team, with how we无毛视频檙e capable of running the football, that means the dirty work of blocking. That无毛视频檚 impressed everybody.无毛视频�
n Wheaton, Coates 无毛视频� Receivers coach Richard Mann confirmed Wheaton took part in individual drills this week after missing five games intermittently with a shoulder injury. Wheaton said on Monday that he expects to practice next week and play at Baltimore. Coates continues to practice with a broken index finger.