Steelers coach Mike Tomlin updates status of newly acquired LB Avery Williamson
Newly acquired inside linebacker Avery Williamson can’t physically join the Pittsburgh Steelers until Saturday, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t suit up Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
The Steelers (7-0) are the only undefeated team in the NFL, while the Cowboys (2-6) are reeling after losing quarterback Dak Prescott to a season-ending injury.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that Williamson, acquired Monday from the New York Jets, is working remotely to understand the Steelers system until he is cleared by the NFL’s covid-19 protocols.
Williamson, who was in his third season with the Jets, must pass five days of covid-19 testing and a point-of-care test Saturday before he can enter the team’s facility at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
“We don’t have the answer to his availability,” Tomlin said at his weekly news conference. “A lot will be determined by the process this week.”
Tomlin doesn’t think it will take long for Williamson, 28, to get up to speed. During the linebacker’s first four seasons in Tennessee, he played in a defensive scheme similar to what the Steelers deploy. His coach there was former Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.
Tomlin said the Titans system was comparable “not only in terms of how it was constructed but the language itself.”
The Steelers acquired Williamson to address the depth at inside linebacker. Second-year starter Devin Bush is out for the season with a torn ACL. Ulysees Gilbert, another second-year player, suffered a back injury in practice last week after missing the second half of the 2019 season with back issues.
Robert Spillane has started twice since Bush’s injury, and he will continue to get most of the snaps along with Vince Williams, Tomlin said.
Williamson will compete for snaps.
“For the long term, we have a vision of him being a third inside linebacker, a guy that is position flexible, a guy that is capable of supporting Robert and Vince and being available if anything should happen to either,” Tomlin said.
The Steelers’ depth on the defensive line was weakened by an ankle injury suffered by nose tackle Tyson Alualu on the first series of Sunday’s 28-24 victory in Baltimore. Defensive tackle and captain Cameron Heyward also left late in the game with a quad injury.
The injuries, coupled with Chris Wormley being placed on injured reserve Saturday, left starter Stephon Tuitt and backups Isaiah Buggs and Henry Mondeaux as the only available defensive linemen at the end of the game.
Tomlin said he is “more optimistic” about Heyward playing against the Cowboys than Alualu.
“We’ll be calling on a number of guys for depth at that position,” Tomlin said. “They’ll have an opportunity to rise up and play quality ball for us.”
Tomlin indicated rookie Carlos Davis could become part of the defensive rotation. Davis has been inactive for each of the first seven games.
Tomlin said fullback Derek Watt (hamstring) and special teams captain Jordan Dangerfield (quad) should be full participants in practice this week. He is hopeful slot corner Mike Hilton (shoulder) will return to the lineup after missing the past two games.
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Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.
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