Steelers outside linebacker Bud Dupree will miss the season opener for a second consecutive season. Dupree showed up on the injury report Thursday with a shoulder injury and did not practice Friday.
Third-year linebacker Anthony Chickillo will take Dupree’s place in the starting lineup this afternoon when the Steelers play the Browns at First Energy Stadium.
Chickillo started seven games last season, most of them when Dupree was on injured reserve for the first half of the season. Dupree missed nine games last season after undergoing sports hernia surgery just before the season began. He played in the final seven games of the regular season and the playoffs.
The Steelers also deactivated quarterback Josh Dobbs, receiver Justin Hunter, cornerback Brian Allen, nose tackle Daniel McCullers and offensive linemen Matt Feiler and Jerald Hawkins.
On Saturday, the Steelers released linebacker Steven Johnson when they added Le’Veon Bell to the 53-man roster. The Steelers had a two-week roster exemption for Bell after he reported Sept. 4 and signed his one-year franchise tender. He will start against the Browns after getting in four practices last week.
The Browns deactivated quarterback Cody Kessler, receiver Reggie Davis, offensive linemen Zach Banner and Marcus Martin and defensive linemen Myles Garrett, T.Y. McGill and Caleb Brantley.
Ray Fittipaldo: rfittipaldo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @rayfitt1.
First Published: September 10, 2017, 4:10 p.m.
Updated: September 10, 2017, 4:17 p.m.
