CB Steve Nelson sits out practice for Steelers with knee injury

On the first official practice in a short week of preparation for the Pittsburgh Steelers, cornerback Steve Nelson was not a participant, which could foreshadow his absence Monday against Washington.

Nelson was not listed by coach Mike Tomlin on the injury report he gave after the Steelers’ 19-14 win Wednesday against the Baltimore Ravens. The next day, however, Tomlin said Nelson was having an MRI taken on his knee.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger also did not practice Friday with a not-injury-related/knee designation. Roethlisberger typically doesn’t take part in the first practice day of the week.

The Steelers have one more day of scheduled practice before the 5 p.m. kickoff Monday against Washington.

Nelson has started all 11 games for the Steelers this season, and he has missed one game in two years with the team because of injury. A groin injury kept him from playing against the Los Angeles Chargers in the middle of the 2019 season.

If Nelson is unable to play Monday, the Steelers could turn to second-year cornerback Justin Layne. Layne never has started a game in his two-year NFL career, but he is considered the top backup among outside corners. Cameron Sutton, who plays in several subpackages, would be another option.

Neither Nelson nor Joe Haden, the other veteran starting cornerback, has missed a game this season, although Haden’s availability was up in the air against the Ravens until the game was postponed three times from its original Thanksgiving kickoff.

“That helped me out a whole lot,” Haden said. “I couldn’t have played Thursday. When it was Sunday, I think it was very up in the air, 50-50, but when it was pushed back until Tuesday (and then Wednesday), it was a for-sure go.”

All other Steelers players on the 53-man roster practiced Friday, including running back Jaylen Samuels, who has missed the past two games with a quad injury.