Covered in sweat in the immediate aftermath of what was his fifth session with the Pittsburgh Steelers since being cleared to practice off of the injured reserve list last week, Zach Banner beamed.

“I just had a really good practice,” the offensive tackle said Thursday.

That would seem to indicate that Banner’s activation to the 53-man roster and return to game action is not so far behind, right?

Well, not necessarily.

“Had good practices during camp (too),” Banner said, “but it’s the next day, right?”

Banner’s surgically-repaired right knee was deemed unready for the rigors of NFL regular-season game action 52 weeks after the ACL was torn in it during the 2020 season-opening win at the New York Giants. That day-after soreness, apparently, persisted well into this training camp, and Banner was limited to just 12 snaps during one preseason game.

The Steelers decided to put him on IR, which kept him off the practice field for three weeks.

“We expected to be back by Week 1,” Banner said. “I wasn’t, and it’s not me. It’s not coaches. It’s my body.

“And it’s the coaches telling me that afterwards that they want me to do it right. So I’m just following my job through listening, following the rules, listening to the coaches, doing my job.”

Banner’s primary job is to serve as the Steelers’ starting right tackle. His return to practice last week did not signify a readiness to reclaim that – even as the man who’s filled that job since Banner’s injury, Chuks Okorafor, had to miss the loss to Green Bay last week because of a concussion. Veteran Joe Haeg started in place of Okorafor — not Banner — against the Packers, though Okorafor was cleared to practice this week.

Before winning the right tackle job during the 2020 camp, Banner played as an extra tackle/tight end in “jumbo” formations. It’s still possible he could be eased back into game action this season via that.

Banner said rehab from a significant injury is different for an offensive lineman than, say, a receiver or defensive back, because some positions can drill on their own. A lineman needs to test his body going up against passrushers.

In lieu of testing unrestricted free agency this past offseason, Banner re-signed for two years. He said not being able to play has weighed on him and contributed to feelings about letting teammates down.

“I have to be reliable,” Banner said. “I think that’s the biggest thing that you have to realize, right? You can’t just (occupy a spot); every single one of those 53 roster spots means something. I mean, somebody is going to do something to contribute to the team. I will not take up one of those spots until I can actually contribute to this team… I’m a team guy first.”

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