When Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin spoke to the media on Tuesday he shared updates on several injuries. The big news was running back Jaylen Samuels getting his knee scoped on Monday and being out around a month. This is a big hit to the offense. But there was another injury that flew a little more under the radar but could be just as significant.
Tomlin reported that starting cornerback Steven Nelson is dealing with a groin injury. This is a situation to keep a close eye on. If Nelson cannot go, it will really throw off the depth chart. Cam Sutton has been excellent this season but is the team’s best coverage slot cornerback. He and Mike Hilton have become interchangeable depending on what the Steelers want.
This means it could be a case of Artie Burns getting the start as the boundary cornerback opposite Joe Haden. Burns was the team’s first-round pick in 2016 but the wheels fell off for him last season and he’s been relegated largely to special teams this season.
