Predicting the Steelers’ inactive list for Week 14 vs. the Ravens

Once again, the players who are questionable for Sunday’s games will be a huge factor.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading back home to Acrisure Stadium after getting two road wins. As the season rolls on, the true nature of the depth chart has come much more into focus, but injuries are still a driving force when it comes to the inactive list every week. For Week 14, the Steelers have three players listed as questionable so it’s not out of the realm that a roster move or practice squad elevations could be coming by Saturday’s 4 PM deadline.

The rules in the 2022 season when it comes to the players active on game day have been carried over from the last two seasons. As long as a team has eight offensive lineman who will be dressing for the game, they could have 48 players on their active roster rather than the 46 in previous seasons. If the Steelers elevate any players from their practice squad, their inactive list would increase by the same number of players. The Steelers may need another wide receiver or outside linebacker for the game based on who is questionable, so any elevations would be telling.

Game Status

QUESTIONABLE:
OLB T.J. Watt (ribs)
WR Diontae Johnson (hip)
OLB Malik Reed (back)

Here are the possibilities to end up inactive for the Steelers against the Ravens on Sunday:

Definitely:

None– Since no players have been ruled out at this time, this category is empty.

Most Likely:

QB Mason Rudolph– The Steelers are going into their 13th game and I’ve completely run out of things to say about a player who has yet to get a helmet.

G Kendrick Green– Did you read what I wrote about Mason Rudolph? Yeah. Same applies here.

CB Josh Jackson– Right now Josh Jackson is hanging on as insurance in the secondary until another cornerback returns to take a spot on the roster. So with William Jackson not starting his window this week, Josh Jackson gets another 53-man roster paycheck while standing on the sidelines.

LB Mark Robinson– Yes, the Steelers have two players who are questionable at the linebacker position. But it’s outside linebacker. Robinson continues to red shirt.

DL Isaiahh Loudermilk– With DeMarvin Leal returning last week, Loudermilk went back to inactive. It’s good to know he’s still there in case someone is injured, but otherwise the Steelers just have too many players on the defensive line and I don’t see that making the move yet with Tyson Alualu being the one not getting a helmet.

Possibly:

OLB T.J. Watt– Yes, he’s questionable. I don’t know that T.J. Watt is worse than he was last week, so for that reason I think he plays. But I really have no idea.

WR Diontae Johnson– Apparently this hip injury is new for Johnson. If he can’t go, the Steelers will need another wide receiver.

OLB Malik Reed– Being a full participant the last two practices, I’m surprised Reed ended up with a questionable status. I am somewhat curious if it would be to mask something with T.J. Watt if the Steelers have to add another OLB from the practice squad which would still add mystery up until inactives are announced. But I’m probably overthinking it.

Unlikely:

A practice squad elevation– While the Steelers did it once this season after Minkah Fitzpatrick’s appendectomy, calling up a player from the practice squad just in case and then having him inactive both uses one of the players elevations and does dip into the salary cap a little bit. The Steelers are usually good at determining if a player is going to play or not and then making the appropriate move. So if someone is elevated, I expect them to be active.

Projected Inactive List:

1. Mason Rudolph
2. Kendrick Green
3. Josh Jackson
4. Mark Robinson
5. Isaiahh Loudermilk

This list is really easy to predict at this time when it would simply be five players. If a practice squad elevation happens later today, then the player at the position elevated would get pushed onto the list. For example, if Cody White is elevated from the practice squad then I would expect Diontae Johnson to be inactive. So 4 PM on Saturday is definitely something to look at when it comes to injuries. Otherwise, I think this is the standard five going forward for the rest of the season if it has to be healthy scratches unless the Steelers make a roster move otherwise.

As always, feel free to list your projected inactives in the comments below.