It looks like the Steelers will have two rookie safeties playing key roles against the Chargers on Sunday night.
Marcus Allen is expected to dress and play for the first time this season, joining fellow rookie and first-round pick Terrell Edmunds, who will make his 11th start of the season at strong safety. Allen, the team’s fifth-round pick out of Penn State in the spring, will fill in for Morgan Burnett in the dime package. Burnett’s status officially is listed as doubtful due to a back injury.
“The way I would describe Marcus is he’s a playmaker,” Edmunds said. “He’s going to come in and make the plays he is supposed to. He’s been working hard this season waiting for this opportunity. I’m looking forward to it, seeing what he can do on the field because I see it in practice. Now in a game setting it’s going to be tremendous to see what he can do.”
When Burnett missed four games earlier in the season, the Steelers used second-year cornerback Cameron Sutton in the dime defense. Allen, who is 6 feet 2 inches and weighs 216 pounds, is known as a solid tackler and run defender. The Steelers have had a hard time stopping the run the past two games.
Allen, who declined an interview request Friday, has been a healthy scratch for the first 11 games.
Edmunds believes he’s ready to make an impact.
“We talk about it all the time, keep on working,” Edmunds said. “Any situation, anything can happen to one of us or anyone on the team. Whenever your number is called you have to be ready for the opportunity and go out here and make plays. We talk about it all the time. He’s excited. I’m excited for him. That’s my dawg 100 percent. He’s going to go out there and ball out.”
Dupree questionable
Outside linebacker Bud Dupree went through a full practice Friday, but he is listed as questionable for the Chargers game.
Dupree indicated Friday that coach Mike Tomlin will make the decision before the game Sunday night. Dupree injured his pectoral muscle in the second quarter of the Broncos game. He played through the injury for the remainder of the game.
“I just tried to play through it,” Dupree said. “It kind of limited me. I had an MRI. Today (Friday) I felt good. I got a lot of treatment over the past couple of days.”
Dupree has dealt with a similar injury. When he was a senior at the University of Kentucky in 2014 he tore his pectoral muscle and missed two games. He said this injury is not as serious.
Dupree, who has 4 ½ sacks this season, said his previous experience with the injury helped him as he made his way back to practice this week.
“I knew exactly what happened,” he said. “As soon as it happened I knew what type of injury it was and how to deal with it. We got on it fast so it wouldn’t get any worse.”
The Steelers only carry three outside linebackers on their 53-man roster. Dupree’s injury could prompt the coaches to add a fourth for this game.
A prime candidate to earn a promotion is undrafted rookie free agent Ola Adeniyi, who spent the first half of the season on injured reserve but was designated for return last week.
The Steelers would have to make a roster move Saturday if they were concerned about Dupree’s availability. They would have to release someone from their 53-man roster to activate Adeniyi, who led the Steelers with three sacks during the preseason schedule.
“I feel pretty good,” Adeniyi said. “I’ve had the guys help me out. You seeing it and you doing it are two different things. When you go out there you still have little things that you have to work on. But I feel like I’ve had the coaching with Joey Porter. The other guys have helped me out as well. I feel pretty confident when I’m out there.”
More injury news
Right tackle Marcus Gilbert will miss a sixth consecutive game with a knee injury. Matt Feiler will take his place in the starting lineup. Feiler is back in the lineup after missing the Broncos game with a pectoral injury.
Defensive end Stephon Tuitt, who missed the past two games with an elbow injury, is not listed on the injury report.
Cornerback Cameron Sutton is listed as questionable with a personal issue. He did not practice Friday.
Ray Fittipaldo: rfittipaldo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @rayfitt1.
First Published: November 30, 2018, 7:51 p.m.
