With regard to the myriad early-season problems afflicting the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line, the first step was taken Wednesday to one of the possible solutions.
Zach Banner returned to practice, the team announced. On injured reserve since the end of training camp as his rehabilitation from surgery on his right knee lingered, Banner was cleared to practice on the first day he was eligible. Under NFL rules, players must sit out three weeks after being placed on IR.
Banner’s return to practice opens up a 21-day window during which he can be put on the active roster. The Steelers (1-2) play at the Green Bay Packers on Sunday and host the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks the ensuing two weeks, followed by a bye week. That means Banner could take more than a month to return to game action. If he’s not on the 53-man roster by the time the Steelers are scheduled to play at the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 31, he would be forced to miss the rest of the season.
Rookie Dan Moore Jr., who became the starting left tackle when Banner’s injury forced Chuks Okorafor to move to the right side, said it was “great” to have Banner back on the practice field.
“He’s always happy,” Moore said. “Zach is always an uplifting guy. Whether he’s out there or not, he’s going to be Zach.”
Banner won a competition to start at right tackle during 2020 training camp but suffered a torn ACL during the season opener at the New York Giants. Okorafor started the season’s final 15 games.
The Steelers re-signed Banner over the offseason to re-claim right tackle, moving Okorafor to the left side. But despite the modern timetable for ACL recovery typically extending far shorter than 10-12 months, Banner was not ready for a full practice workload during training camp. He was limited two 12 snaps in one preseason game and did not practice at all in the final weeks of camp.
The Steelers moved Okorafor back to the right side and inserted rookie fourth-round pick Moore at left tackle. Through three games, the offensive line has struggled, and neither Moore nor Okorafor has distinguished himself.
A fourth-round pick in 2017 who was cut by two teams during his first year in the league, Banner has 23 games of NFL experience but only one start and 85 career snaps at tackle.
Incidentally, the return of Banner to practice suggests official, if tacit, word that defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt and backup running back Anthony McFarland are not near a return to game action. Each remains on IR.
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