Steelers injury report: Claypool IN, Washington OUT for Sunday game

The Pittsburgh Steelers have completed their preparation for Week 5 of the 2021 NFL season. As the Steelers head to the training ground for their final day of preparation for the Denver Broncos, many players have progressed to becoming full participants on Friday. In the final injury report for the week, courtesy of the Steelers public relations department, four players were excluded for Sunday’s game.

Steelers Public Relations Department

After missing Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury, Chase Claypool returned in a limited role on Wednesday and Thursday. To end the week, Claypool trained hard on Friday and bears no injury designation for Sunday’s game.

The new player to the injury report Thursday was wide receiver James Washington who was limited by another groin injury for the Steelers. Washington was unable to participate on Friday and was excluded for week 5.

Another starter who missed last Sunday’s game was Chuks Okorafor, who was still in concussion protocol. On Friday, Okorafor was a full participant for the third day in a row and must be out of protocol as he carries no injury designation for this week.

Two other players who were sidelined on Sunday due to injury were defensive tackle Carlos Davis and guard Rashaad Coward. After missing three straight games, Davis still did not train on Wednesday or Thursday due to his knee injury. As for Coward, he made a limited return on Wednesday with his ankle injury, but took a step back because he did not train on Thursday. Both players were listed as limited to training on Friday, but both were ruled out for Sunday.

Two players who left Sunday’s game with an injury were Cam Sutton with a groin and Kevin Dotson with a hip flexor. Unfortunately, the two players did not train on Wednesday. Kevin Dotson was able to return as a full participant on Thursday, but Cam Sutton missed his second straight day. With Friday finally being the test, Dotson was again a full participant and has no injury designation for Sunday. Unfortunately, Cam Sutton still couldn’t train on Friday and was sent off. Sutton’s most likely replacement will be James Pierre on the outside with several options to try to fill the void in the Steelers’ dime package.

Even though he was able to play last week, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was limited on Wednesday with a rib injury. On Thursday and Friday, Smith-Schuster was back as a full participant and carries no injury status. Ben Roethlisberger (hip / pectoral), Cam Heyward (neck) and Trai Turner (illness) are other players who were on the report and who fully trained on Friday and have no injury status.

As for the Broncos injury report, you can see the names below courtesy of Steelers.com. Several of their dubious players are expected to play like Melvin Gordon III and Teddy Bridgewater. Despite being a full participant in training on Friday, Bridgewater had not been cleared of concussion protocol at the time of the report’s release.

Denver Broncos Involvement / Injury Report Week 5

GAME STATUS

QB Teddy Bridgewater (concussion) – Questionable

RB Melvin Gordon III (lower leg) – Questionable

WR Diontae Spencer (chest) – Questionable

CB Pat Surtain II (chest) – Questionable

WR Courtland Sutton (Ankle) – Questionable

TE Albert Okwuegbunam (Hamstrings) – Out

FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER

QB Teddy Bridgewater (concussion) – Full

RB Melvin Gordon III (lower leg) – Limited

T Bobby Massie (NIR – Rest) – DNP

WR Diontae Spencer (chest) – Limited

CB Pat Surtain II (chest) – Limited

ILB Baron Browning (Back) – Full

G Graham Glasgow (knee) – Full

OLB Von Miller (NIR – rest) – Full

OLB Andre Mintze (Hamstring) – Limited

TE Albert Okwuegbunam (hamstrings) – DNP

G Dalton Risner (ankle) – Complete

DE Shelby Harris (wrist) – Full

S Justin Simmons (Main) – Full

WR Courtland Sutton (ankle) – Limited

For more information on the Steelers and Broncos Injury Report, check out the BTSC Injury Report podcast below: