Five Injured Steelers Return to Full Practice on Monday

PITTSBURGH — The cavalry is coming. Five Pittsburgh Steelers players, including star wide receiver George Pickens and three starters on the defense, returned to practice for the team on Monday.

Pickens, defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, cornerback Donte Jackson, strong safety DeShon Elliott and linebacker Tyler Matakevich were all listed as full participants on Monday.

Pickens missed the last three games with a hamstring injury suffered in practice. He said on Monday that he feels good, but has yet to be fully medically cleared for Wednesday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

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Jackson missed the team’s Week 16 game against the Baltimore Ravens that he first suffered against the Cleveland Browns in Week 14 and then flared up against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15. He left that game with the injury and was unable to return.

Elliott was also injured against Cleveland. He was able to finish that game, but has missed the last two, with Minkah Fitzpatrick shifting to strong safety and Damontae Kazee replacing him at free safety.

Ogunjobi has been out since suffering a groin injury during the team’s Week 14 win over the Browns on Dec. 8. Dean Lowry started at defensive end in the base defense in place of Ogunjobi, with nose tackle Keeanu Benton stepping up to the first line in Nickel and Dime alignments.