Steelers Rule Out Three Starters vs. Browns

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers have ruled out three players for their game against the Cleveland Browns. Safeties Keanu Neal and Minkah Fitzpatrick will not play. Defensive tackle Montravius Adams will miss his second straight game.

Pittsburgh opened the 21-day window for Pat Freiermuth, and he is working his way back. Freiemruth says that he has been cutting and accelerating. He is listed as questionable for the game after two straight days of full participation in practice.

Adams missed last week’s 23-19 win over the Green Bay Packers with an ankle injury suffered against the Tennesse Titans in Week 9 and will not play again. With him out, Keeanu Benton will be in line to start for the second straight week.

Without Fitzpatrick and Neal, safety Trenton Thompson will start. Elijah Riley should also see an increase in his snaps in a makeshift defensive backfield.

Defensive tackle Cam Heyward is still ailing from his groin injury. Last week, he said he was dealing with swelling following core muscle surgery. He may be limited again, but he will play against Cleveland.

Fitzpatrick has been dealing with a hamstring injury since the Steelers’ Week 9 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tomlin also said there was a chance that Fitzpatrick would practice last week, but he did not, and he has yet to return to practice. He will miss his third straight game.

Neal was hurt when he was tackled on top of the football after his fourth-quarter interception. He was replaced late in the game by Thompson, who was called up from the practice squad for the game. Neal will miss his first game of the season.

Wide receiver Diontae Johnson is listed without a designation after appearing on the injury report with a thumb injury.

Steelers Injury Report