Steelers Cornerback Out Couple of Weeks with Injury

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jamel Dean is set to miss several weeks due to an ankle injury, according to a report by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Dean has been struggling with ankle issues throughout the season, first suffering an injury in the team's Week 2 game against the New England Patriots, which caused him to miss the remainder of that match.

Despite initially being listed as questionable for their Week 3 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Dean managed to play, though he was limited to fewer than 100% of the team's defensive reps. In the Steelers' Week 4 contest against the Cleveland Browns, Dean only logged 16 snaps before leaving the game, evident in his limp and the boot he wore on his injured ankle afterward.

Rapoport stated that Dean is anticipated to miss "a couple" of weeks. Dean's recurring minor injuries have been a consistent challenge throughout his career, having played in no full regular season games in his tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He set career highs with 15 games played during the 2021 and 2022 seasons but missed three games last year.

As the outside cornerback position has become increasingly problematic for the Steelers, the team recently traded Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys and lost Dean to injury just hours later. Asante Samuel Jr., rookie Daylen Everette, recent practice squad callup Doneiko Slaughter, and usual slot corners Jalen Ramsey and Brandin Echols are expected to step up in Dean's absence for the Steelers' Week 5 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.