It’s not looking good for Steelers starting safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick or Keanu Neal.
In a video posted by Post-Gazette Steelers writer Brian Batko, neither safety was seen working individual drills during practice Friday morning on the South Side.
Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin did say on Thursday that both would be a game time decision, but with them not on the field Friday, it doesn’t look good.
That means Trenton Thompson, who was on the practice squad two weeks ago, will likely start.
Thompson was elevated from the practice squad and came in to get seven reps at safety against the Packers. In his second year in the NFL, those were Thompson’s first snaps in the NFL on defense.
Even if Patrick Peterson plays some snaps at safety, Thompson is going to play defensive snaps in Cleveland.
We’ll find out more when the Steelers injury report comes out later on Friday.