The Pittsburgh Steelers have downgraded starting strong safety Terrell Edmunds from questionable to out for the team’s Week 5 game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in Orchard Park, New York the team announced on Saturday.
Edmunds was originally listed as questionable after practicing in a limited fashion on Thursday and Friday. He did not practice on Wednesday this week. Edmunds remains in the NFL concussion protocol.
Edmunds was injured late in the first half of the Steelers’ Week 4 loss to the New York Jets when he collided with Jets running back Michael Carter while breaking up a pass along the sideline.
In that game, the Steelers replaced Edmunds with second-year defensive back Tre Norwood. The team’s seventh-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Norwood has played slot corner and free safety, but he got his first NFL action at strong safety on Sunday.
In addition to Norwood, special teams captain Miles Killebrew is the only other safety on the Steelers’ 53-man roster. Former New York Jets safety Elijah Riley has NFL experience and is on the Steelers’ practice squad.
Edmunds is the second Steelers defensive back to be ruled out of the game, joining cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, who will miss his second consecutive game with a hamstring injury. Fellow cornerbacks Cam Sutton (hamstring, groin) and Levi Wallace (foot) and free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (knee) were limited in practice this week.
Sutton is officially listed as questionable, but said Friday that he expects to play. The team did not give Fitzpatrick or Wallace an injury designation for the game, but they may be less than 100%.
The Bills enter with the No. 5 passing attack in the NFL, having thrown for 1,227 yards in five game.
The NFLPA approved enchantment of the NFL’s concussion protocol for this week in the aftermath of the injury to Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa last week.