PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said he wants to give as many players an opportunity to play in the preseason finale Thursday as possible, but said he will tell us later in the week who will be held out.
Fan 5 Notes as the Steelers returned to the South Side
#1 New WR?
A report from Adam Schefter the Steelers will have wide receiver Gabe Davis in for a second visit on Tuesday and then potentially sign the five-year veteran. Davis, 26, was in Pittsburgh during off-season workouts, but didn't end up signing.
"I'm comfortable with it," Tomlin said of his current depth at receiver. "Certainly, things get a little tight this time of year. Lines get short and usually in one area positionally. There is strength in numbers, that's a group that is running a little light (injuries to Calvin Austin and Ben Skowronek), but that's just a component of this time of year."
#2 Calvin Austin
While not back to practice, receiving Calvin Austin was on the field with his jersey on for the first time in a couple of weeks going through a few drills. He said we will have to talk to the trainers to see if he would be able to be ready for Week 1. Austin is reportedly dealing with an abdomen injury and said today was a step.
#3 Christian Kuntz update
Tomlin said the injury to long-snapper Christian Kuntz is more short-term as Kuntz was on the field Monday, did not practice, but helping Jake McQuaide, who is believed to be the placeholder until Kuntz returns. The 37-year-old is in his 15th NFL season long snapping with the Rams in both St. Louis and Los Angeles for 10 years before time with Dallas, Detroit, Minnesota and Miami over the last four seasons.
#4 Boswell kicking
Chris Boswell kicked off a couple of times on Saturday against the Bucs, he would have kicked field goals as well if Kuntz would have been healthy enough to snap. He didn't want Boswell out there with a defensive lineman as a replacement snapper.
#5 Preseason mirage
Asked about his confidence with this team right now, Tomlin slowed it down.
"I don't know that I'm looking to measure that to be quite honest with you," Tomlin said. "You can develop false confidence in August. Those things become real in September."
