Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel and outside linebacker Lamarr Woodley missed practice on Thursday, a day after Woodley participated on a limited basis. As a result, the statuses of both are up in the air as the Steelers prepare to go on the road to take on the Cleveland Browns.
If Woodley is healthy enough to contribute, the question facing the Steelers is whose reps he would take; Jason Worilds or their first round rookie, Jarvis Jones. Worilds has rewarded the Steelers for their patience this season and has contributed 3 sacks in the past 3 weeks including 2 in Foxboro against the New England Patriots. Meanwhile, Jones continues to try to find his footing in the NFL.
The third option is that Woodley would be the rotational option from the bench, both because he is hurt and the Steelers need to find what they have in Worilds and Jones. Woodley is a real possibility to be a cap casualty this season as the Steelers attempt to right their financial ship.
On the other hand, the Steelers cannot get enough healthy bodies on their defensive line, regardless of who is playing well. Even at 35 years old, Keisel has been valuable in their defensive line rotation and gives them a body they really need to help them stop the run and has 2 sacks in his own right. The Steelers and Browns both find themselves at 4-6 as they renew their rivalry under less than ideal circumstances.