Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that outside linebacker Bud Dupree has a chance to return this season from the injured reserve list, but it still hasn't been determined whether he will need surgery to repair what was termed a muscular core (sports hernia) injury.
Tomlin said Dupree will be evaluated in the next couple days and, if he needs surgery, could miss the entire season. Dupree, the Steelers' No. 1 pick in 2015, would be eligible to return to practice from IR after six weeks but can't play until after eight weeks.
"He's capable of being designated to return," Tomlin said at the first of his weekly televised regular-season news conferences. "Sometimes (these injuries) get better with time and sometimes they require surgical repair. We just want to get him healthy and hopefully back in uniform in 2016."
Because teams can designate only one player to return from injured reserve, the Steelers will carry cornerback Senquez Golson on the 53-man roster, even though he is not likely to return from a Lisfranc foot injury until late November or early December.
"He's still on the team, so we can characterize his ability to week to week," Tomlin said. "We'll continue to characterize him that way. We're optimistic about his ability to be available to us at some point."
Meantime, Tomlin said several players are listed as day-to-day with injuries, including defensive end Cam Heyward (ankle) and right tackle Marcus Gilbert (hyperextended elbow), who were injured in the third preseason game in New Orleans. Rookie nose tackle Javon Hargrave, who injured his knee in practice Monday, is also among the players listed as day-to-day for the season-opening game Monday against the Washington Redskins. Hargrave said on his Twitter account he is "good."
The others: wide receiver Markus Wheaton (shoulder), safety Shamarko Thomas (groin), fullback Roosevelt Nix (back), nose tackle Dan McCullers (knee) and center Cody Wallace (knee).
Tomlin also said the Steelers were glad to trade a sixth-round draft choice in 2018 to acquire cornerback Justin Gilbert from the Cleveland Browns. The Steelers had interest in making Gilbert their No. 1 pick in 2014 until the Browns selected him eighth overall.
"He was a guy we had great deal of respect for when he came out in the draft," Tomlin said.
