Veteran guard David DeCastro ruled out of Steelers' opener against Giants

The ironman on the right side of the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line won’t be on the field for the season opener Monday night at the New York Giants.

All-Pro guard David DeCastro was ruled out of the opener when he did not participate in practice Saturday morning. DeCastro has not practiced since injuring his knee during a scrimmage Aug. 28. He also missed the first week of padded practices in training camp.

Replacing DeCastro at right guard will be veteran Stefen Wisniewski, who will make his Steelers debut against the Giants. The Central Catholic and Penn State grad has started at center and left guard in the first nine years of his NFL career, but he has played sparingly at right guard.

Wisniewski signed a two-year contract with the Steelers in the offseason after playing on Super Bowl-winning teams in Kansas City and Philadelphia the past two seasons.

In addition to Wisniewski, the Steelers will unveil a new starter at right tackle in Zach Banner, who won the job in a training camp competition with Chuks Okorafor.

DeCastro hasn’t missed a start because of injury since early in the 2018 season. DeCastro fractured his right hand in the season opener at Cleveland, then sat out the next two weeks. Those are the only two games he has missed because of injury since the 2013 season.

DeCastro was the only player listed on the participation report for the opener. Wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who did not practice Thursday with a foot injury, practiced Saturday for the second day in a row.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was given the day off Saturday as a coach’s decision.