It looked like the Steelers were going to get tight end Ladarius Green back for Sunday’s wild-card game against the Dolphins at Heinz Field.
Green sat out weeks 16 and 17 with a concussion, but practiced in full on Wednesday and Thursday.
However, Green didn’t practice Friday and remains in the concussion protocol.
Ladarius Green did not practice. Remains in protocol. Mike Tomlin said they didn't get results they wanted from him after he practiced Thur
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) January 6, 2017
It’s vague to say the Steelers didn’t get the “results they wanted.” It could mean they didn’t like what they saw on the practice field or that there was a medical report that said Green’s concussion hasn’t sufficiently healed.
The Steelers signed Green as a free agent during the offseason, but he had ankle surgery in January and didn’t take part in any spring workouts, training camp or the preseason and didn’t appear in a game until Week 10.
According to NFL.com, it wasn’t the ankle that kept Green on the shelf during the offseason, it was headaches. Green suffered two concussions playing for the Chargers last September. Green denied the headaches report and said it was his ankle that kept him on the physically unable to perform list.
When he finally got on the field, Green helped fuel the Steelers’ seven-game winning streak. He caught six passes for 110 yards and a touchdown in a 24-14 win over the Giants in Week 13 and five passes for 72 yards in the Steelers’ 24-20 win at Cincinnati in Week 15.
If Green can’t go Sunday, it will be up to a committee of pass catchers to keep the Dolphins from double-teaming Antonio Brown. Eli Rogers has caught 15 passes in the last three games. Cobi Hamilton caught the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime of the Steelers’ 27-24 win over the Browns in Week 17. Rookie DeMarcus Ayers, playing in just his second game, caught five passes for 44 yards and a touchdown.
Jesse James (39 catches, three touchdowns) and Xavier Grimble (11 catches, two touchdowns), can provide the Steelers with a tight end presence, but neither is a game changer like Green.
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