Oct 27, 2016 3 min read

Notice: Undefined offset: 0 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 412

Notice: Trying to get property 'term_id' of non-object in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 412

Ben Roethlisberger returned to practice on Tuesday in a limited fashion and also was busy working on his rehab opening the door for the possbility that he will be back in the lineup when the Steelers next play Nov. 6 at Baltimore.

Well what do you know?

The fact that Roethlisberger was back at practice – even if he was limited – was plus.

Anybody with any sense of Roethlisberger’s history with injuries would tell you that he’s as tough as they come. He’s played through a lot of injuries.

Those same people will also tell you that he wants everyone to know exactly how tough he is. There’s nothing wrong with that.

But when Roethlisberger says he could miss as much as six weeks, you take it with a grain of salt.

I was being told all along that Roethlisberger could be back as soon as Nov. 6 agaisnt Baltimore, which would be 20 days after his surgery, or, at the latest, the following week at home against Dallas.

That’s still the case.

It’s still dicey for Roethlisberger to return from his mensicus surgery against the Ravens. As he said earlier this week, he doesn’t necessarily need to go through a full practice to be mentally ready. But he does need to physically test his knee to see just what he can do.

That means Friday will be a big day next week.

In the meantime, Landry Jones will continue to get ready to play the Ravens.

But if I had to lean one way or another, I think he pushes to play. At 34, Roethlisberger realizes his window of opportunity to win another title is closing.

And this team could look much different in 2017. He wants to win and he wants to win now.

• Ladarius Green, meanwhile, looks like he should be ready to come off the PUP list and onto the active roster sometime next week.

Green looks fast and athletic on the field, like a bigger version of Xavier Grimble.

And he’s a better blocker than many think, so he’ll give the Steelers their most complete tight end.

The question will be who goes from the active roster to make room for Green.

Unless somebody comes up with a new injury next week – you never know how those things go – it could be a veteran such as Cody Wallace or Markus Wheaton.

With both of those players missing all or most of the first half of this season with knee and shoulder injuries, respectively, B.J. Finney and Cobi Hamilton have emerged.

Roosevelt Nix and Steven Johnson have been mentioned as possibilities, as well, but those two are core special teams players. In fact, Johnson is tied for the team lead in special teams tackles.

If it’s one of the tight ends, Grimble might be the odd man out.

David Johnson is a solid blocker and can play multiple positions, while the team most certainly isn’t cutting Jesse James loose.

Grimble’s ball-catching skills would be redundant with Green on the active roster.