PITTSBURGH — The Steelers‘ task of slowing tight end Tyler Warren and the juggernaut Indianapolis Colts offense just got even more difficult.
Hours after officially placing safety DeShon Elliott on injured reserve with a hyperextended knee, Pittsburgh ruled safety Jabrill Peppers out with a quad injury.
Peppers, a former member of the New England Patriots who was signed by the Steelers earlier this season after Elliott’s Week 1 knee injury, first appeared on the injury report as a limited participant in Thursday’s practice and didn’t practice Friday.
Pittsburgh also listed safety Chuck Clark as questionable for Sunday’s game with an illness. In the loss to Green Bay, Clark took some of Elliott’s responsibilities in accounting for Packers tight end Tucker Kraft after Elliott’s third-quarter injury.
Entering this week, the Steelers’ strong safeties on the depth chart were Elliott, Clark and Peppers, while Juan Thornhill was the only player listed at free safety. Pittsburgh has two safeties on the practice squad in former Commanders fifth-round pick Darrick Forrest and rookie Jack Henderson. The Steelers signed Forrest to the practice squad earlier this week after working out a number of free agents, including former Bengals safety Vonn Bell.
Pittsburgh further added to the group by trading for New England safety Kyle Dugger, a 2020 second-round pick, on Tuesday, but he first practiced with the team Thursday. Dugger appeared on the practice report with a knee injury but was a full participant at practice Thursday and Friday.
“We’re going to try to do the best we can to get him ready to be available for us in some capacity,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said of Dugger.
The secondary isn’t the only area of the Steelers’ defense with availability questions entering Sunday’s game. Inside linebacker Cole Holcomb, part of the run defense charged with slowing Jonathan Taylor, is questionable with an illness.
Pittsburgh could get back inside linebacker Malik Harrison, who was placed on IR with a knee injury but has been designated to return and is reaching the end of his 21-day practice window. He was designated as questionable for the game. The Steelers, though, ruled cornerback Cory Trice Jr. out for the Colts game. Trice’s practice window to return from IR was opened earlier this week, but he popped up with a knee injury in practice as he tried to return from his hamstring injury. Trice was limited Thursday and didn’t practice Friday.
