The Pittsburgh Steelers have received a major boost with the return of four starters, including top wide receiver George Pickens, ahead of their Christmas Day match against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Pickens, along with strong safety DeShon Elliott, cornerback Donte Jackson, and defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi, were cleared to play after being listed as full participants in Tuesday’s league-mandated status report. This comes after they missed three games due to hamstring injuries.
The Steelers will be without cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (knee) and wide receiver Ben Skowronek (hip), who were both ruled out following a practice-less week, leaving them unable to finish Saturday’s loss against the Ravens. Backup quarterback Justin Fields was listed as questionable after being a limited participant in Tuesday’s walk-through, but is expected to be replaced by Kyle Allen.
Pickens, who leads the team with 55 receptions and 850 receiving yards, has been Russell Wilson’s favorite target throughout the season. His return should bolster the Steelers’ defense, which struggled against Ravens running back Derrick Henry’s 162-yard performance and quarterback Lamar Jackson’s three touchdowns in their previous game.
Source: https://triblive.com/sports/wr-george-pickens-cleared-to-play-against-chiefs-as-4-steelers-starters-return-from-injury