Steelers Suffer Four In-Game Injuries vs. Lions, Rookie DB Watts Being Evaluated

DETROIT — Pittsburgh Steelers rookie defensive back Ryan Watts suffered an apparently serious injury late in his team’s final preseason game against the Detroit Lions on Saturday, one of four Steelers players to suffer an in-game injury.

Watts was injured attempting to make a tackle against Lions running back Zonovan Knight on the final series of the game. He laid face-down on the Lions logo near midfield for several minutes before eventually sitting up and walking off the field with the help of trainers. 

Head coach Mike Tomlin after the game that Watts suffered a stinger. Stingers are nerve injuries caused by compression or stretching of the neck and shoulder area, and are extremely painful, with pain shooting down the arms and/or legs. 

Stingers are not typically considered to be long-term injuries, though they have been in some cases. Steelers safety Trenton Thompson missed the rest of the regular season after suffering a stinger against the Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 16.

“He’s still being evaluated as we speak,” Tomlin cautioned.

Cornerback Cory Trice Jr. suffered a minor groin injury late in the second quarter against the Lions, and did not return. Trice said after the game that he doesn’t expect it to be a long-term issue.

The Steelers are thin at cornerback. Starter Joey Porter Jr. was held out of the game with an undisclosed injury and his status for the season opener against the Atlanta Falcon on Sept. 8 is up in the air.

Trice started in his place at the top backup. Only Darius Rush has any Steelers experience at all of the team’s remaining backups. He played in 39 snaps over three games as a rookie last season.

Kyler McMichael, Zyon Gilbert and Kiondre Thomas are the other three outside cornerbacks on the 90-man roster. All three were signed after the start of training camp. Slot cornerback Thomas Graham played some outside cornerback on Saturday.

The other position on the defense where the depth is in question is outside linebacker. T.J. Watt was held out of the game and Alex Highsmith (groin) missed his third straight preseason game, though he did dress. 

Backup Jeremiah Moon (foot/ankle) also missed Saturday’s game, and two more outside linebackers suffered in-game injuries. Kyron Johnson went into the blue tent on the Steelers sideline late in the game, and was running in front of trainers. Tomlin did not acknowledge his injury after the game.

Rookie edge rusher Julius Welschof had two sacks on Saturday, giving him three in the preseason, but he also suffered an injury. He left the game in the second half with a right knee injury that Tomlin said is being evaluated. Welschof was wearing a brace on his knee in the locker room after the game.

The Steelers got one player back from injury, as cornerback Beanie Bishop made his return after missing last week’s game for undisclosed reasons.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS INJURY REPORT