Chris Boswell, Vince Williams, all other injured Steelers players cleared to play Sunday

Chris Adamski
Friday, Jan. 8, 2021 4:27 p.m. | Friday, Jan. 8, 2021 4:27 p.m.

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell watches the flight of the ball after kicking a field goal during a November game. Since that game in Jacksonville, Boswell missed three of the Steelers’ final five regular-season contests. But Boswell has been designated as healthy to kick in the Steelers’ playoff opener Sunday.

Talk about good timing. For the first time since September, the Pittsburgh Steelers ended a practice week with a clean injury report. According to Friday’s league-mandated release, none of the players on the active roster will be prevented from playing in Sunday’s scheduled playoff opener because of injury.

Receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) and reserve defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs (illness) returned to practice Friday after missing Thursday’s session. Defensive lineman Tyson Alualu (ankle) and linebacker Vince Williams (quadriceps) continued to practice fully after missing a session earlier in the week, and cornerback Steven Nelson (knee) and safety Terrell Edmunds (shoulder) wrapped up a full week of practices for the Steelers, who are scheduled to host the Cleveland Browns at 8:15 p.m. Sunday.

Kicker Chris Boswell also was given a designation that he is certain to play despite a “limited” practice status Friday. Boswell missed the past two and three of the final five regular-season games because of a groin injury.

Left guard Matt Feiler and inside linebacker Robert Spillane returned to practice Wednesday for the #Steelers, the first step toward their potential return Sunday night against the Cleveland Browns in an AFC wild-card game. https://t.co/Mi9iNjfbRn

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) January 6, 2021

Not part of the practice reports because of their statuses on the injured reserve list are starters Matt Feiler (shoulder) and Robert Spillane (knee). Right guard Feiler and inside linebacker Spillane have missed the past three and four games, respectively, but returned to practice this week. That opened up a 21-day window during which each could be activated to return.

The Steelers figure to make those announcements and corresponding roster moves Saturday. Despite their replacements — rookie Kevin Dotson at left guard and veteran Avery Williamson at inside linebacker — playing well in their place, Feiler and Spillane are expected to regain their starting jobs.

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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.