The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns have released their inactives ahead of the 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff on “Thursday Night Football,” and the biggest question on Pittsburgh’s final injury report has been answered.
Cornerback Jalen Ramsey is active despite a broken right wrist that kept him limited in practice all week. Defensive lineman Yahya Black, who was added to the report on Thursday as questionable for personal reasons, is also active.
Running back Rico Dowdle is the Steelers’ most notable inactive. He was ruled out on Wednesday with a toe injury and will miss his second straight game.
The rest of the list is healthy scratches: quarterback Drew Allar, running back Eli Heidenreich and defensive linemen Kevin Jobity Jr. and Gabriel Rubio. Will Howard will dress as the emergency third quarterback.
Pittsburgh also made two roster moves on Thursday, signing defensive back Doneiko Slaughter to the 53-man roster and elevating running back Lew Nichols from the practice squad.
As for the Browns, three of their five inactives were ruled out Wednesday: center Elgton Jenkins (concussion), guard Teven Jenkins (back) and wide receiver Tylan Wallace (knee). Luke Wypler is expected to start at center.
Here are the full lists for both teams.
Pittsburgh Steelers inactives
- RB Rico Dowdle
- QB Drew Allar
- QB Will Howard (emergency 3rd QB)
- RB Eli Heidenreich
- DL Kevin Jobity Jr.
- DE Gabriel Rubio
Cleveland Browns inactives
- QB Taylen Green (emergency 3rd QB)
- WR Tylan Wallace
- C Elgton Jenkins
- G Teven Jenkins
- LB Justin Jefferson
Another heavy night for Jaylen Warren
With Dowdle down again, Jaylen Warren is in line for another workhorse load. He ran 17 times for 127 yards and caught three passes for 49 more in last week’s 30-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
“He came up big,” head coach Mike McCarthy said of Warren. “He was huge for us.”
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported there is a “pretty good chance” Dowdle returns in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts.
Steelers’ secondary without Joey Porter Jr.
Ramsey’s status carried extra weight because Pittsburgh traded Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys this week for a 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-rounder. Porter was inactive for all three games this season.
“I’m going to try to (play), but I’ve got to be able to protect it,” Ramsey said earlier this week. “Obviously, it’s a real injury. A broken wrist. I can’t do anything about it.”
Brandin Echols is also available after clearing the concussion protocol, and Slaughter fills the roster spot Porter left behind.
Both teams are 2-1, and so is the rest of the AFC North. The game streams on Prime Video.
