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After an injury riddled training camp, the Pittsburgh Steelers are taking it 'easy' on their final day of practice before moving to Heinz Field to prepare for the 2013 NFL regular season.
No pads for the last day of practice. #SteelersTrainingCamp
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 17, 2013
The Steelers have endured their share of 'significant' injuries this off-season, although they got off arguably easier than other teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers and Cleveland Browns.
The most severe wounds incurred by the Steelers were inflicted upon tight end Heath Miller at the end of last season when he tore an ACL, and Mike Adams when he was stabbed during the summer break. Their tight ends and defensive backs have missed time, and some will continue to miss more. Most of the DBs have returned to practice, but the TE situation is still sorting itself out.
After the scares Isaac Redman and Le'Veon Bell gave the team during Thursday's practice, removing contact from the equation on Saturday limits the chances to lose a promising or pertinent player before all the contact actually means something.
The Steelers will wear their pads again on Monday night when they hit the road to meet the Washington Redskins in the second week of preseason action for both clubs.
More from Behind the Steel Curtain:
- Steelers training camp updates
- Redman vs. Dwyer possibly for the last time
- Starters will play a quarter's worth of snaps
- Jerricho Cotchery brings veteran leadership to Steelers young receivers
- Steelers starters will play 'more' in preseason Week 2 against Redskins
- Five Questions with Hogs Haven, SB Nation's Washington Redskins site
- Steve McLendon pushed, literally and figuratively, by Maurkice Pouncey
- Roethlisberger paddling his arm back to powerful territory
- Le'Veon Bell's clean bill of health is enough for Steelers coach Mike Tomlin
- Weekend Checkdown: the top stories of the week
- Steelers training camp recap: Cortez Allen returns to practice