Predicting the Steelers’ inactive list for Week 16 vs. the Raiders

The Pittsburgh Steelers are back at home for a special Christmas Eve prime time matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception. As the season rolls on, the true nature of the depth chart has come much more into focus, but injuries are still a driving force when it comes to the inactive list every week. For Week 16, the Steelers have three players listed as questionable which could go in any direction.

The rules in the 2022 season when it comes to the players active on game day have been carried over from the last two seasons. As long as a team has eight offensive lineman who will be dressing for the game, they could have 48 players on their active roster rather than the 46 in previous seasons. If the Steelers elevate any players from their practice squad, their inactive list would increase by the same number of players. While the rest of the Saturday games had teams making practice squad elevations, there was nothing from the Steelers or Raiders. With “non-Sunday” prime time games, such as Thursday or Monday, have a 4 PM deadline for roster moves the day of the game, I have been unable to find if the deadline passed on Friday or if they still have until 4 PM today. If there is any roster move done later today, an update will be added.

Game Status

QUESTIONABLE:
WR Diontae Johnson (toe)
S Terrell Edmunds (hamstring)
LB Myles Jack (groin)

Here are the possibilities to end up inactive for the Steelers against the Raiders on Saturday night:

Definitely:

None- Since no players have been ruled out at this time, this category is empty.

Most Likely:

QB Mason Rudolph- He broke the streak of being inactive for one week, but didn’t see a snap. Now Rudolph is right back to where he’s been the rest of the season.

G Kendrick Green- I can’t reiterate how important it has been that the Steelers have not had an offensive lineman miss a game this season.

CB Josh Jackson- In recent weeks, this is where Jackson has found himself. For someone who was on the practice squad, getting an active roster paycheck each week while still being inactive is significant promotion.

Possibly:

WR Diontae Johnson- I’m still not sure how someone has a “little bit of turf toe,” but Johnson reportedly practiced on Friday so hopefully he’ll be fine to play.

S Terrell Edmunds- Even though Coach Tomlin put Edmunds in the category of someone who would miss time but should be good for the game, you just never know with a hamstring.

LB Myles Jack- Once again Jack gets the questionable status despite practicing.

DL Jonathan Marshall- He’s still the new guy and didn’t get a helmet last week, so it’s really tough to know if anything is going to change.

DL Tyson Alualu- I’m still listing him here based on his struggles throughout the season even though he had a much better game last week. If the Steelers want to see what Marshall can do in a game, someone’s going to have to sit and Alualu actually makes the most sense.

LB Mark Robinson- Although Steelers fans wanted to fawn over his seven snaps, Robinson could go back to the inactive list if Myles Jack plays.

Unlikely:

LB Marcus Allen- I can’t say that it’s an impossibility, but Steelers fans wanting Marcus Allen to be cut or inactive because of last weeks boneheaded play are probably asking too much. It’s possible, but not likely.

Projected Inactive List:

1. Mason Rudolph
2. Kendrick Green
3. Josh Jackson
4. Jonathan Marshall
5. Myles Jack

Once again, the top three names on this list are easy. I’m not sure about Jonathan Marshall because I really don’t know what the Steelers are thinking with him. It could simply be another poached player from a practice squad who the Steelers have to keep on the roster but they have no intent on getting on the field right away. Or he could be in uniform. I’m not banking on it until I see it.

What really makes things difficult this week it’s not knowing if the Steelers still have the ability to elevate players from the practice squad or not. I assumed the deadline passed, but with the Raiders having so many players questionable with one ruled out, I assumed they would at least be making a practice squad elevation or two. Since they haven’t, I’m thinking there’s still a chance they can by 4 PM. If Diontae Johnson isn’t going to play, the Steelers would have to elevate a wide receiver, most likely Cody White. As for the other two players, the Steelers probably wouldn’t bother with an elevation and go with players who would otherwise be inactive.

I am hopeful that both Diontae Johnson and Terrell Edmunds will play. For that reason I’m leaving them off the list. The last spot possibly comes down to Myles Jack or Mark Robinson. Even though it looks like Jack was good to go to play this week based on his full participation on Thursday, he thought he could have played last week. The Steelers might use his questionable status to keep him out of the lineup again and give Robinson another handful of snaps. That’s what I’m hoping, but we’ll see what happens. It worked last week.

UPDATE: The Steelers have signed safety Elijah Riley to the active roster and have released cornerback Josh Jackson.

This is why I believe the final roster moves give a really good indication as to what’s going on. The fact the Steelers felt the need to release Jackson in order to have Riley, who had already been elevated three times from the practice squad and could not be elevated again, available for them makes me think to Terrell Edmunds has a good chance of not being able to go. While the Steelers could still have Riley inactive, something they did with the Minkah Fitzpatrick appendectomy where they used one of his elevations and didn’t have him active, there has to be at least enough concern that Edmunds would not be able to go in order for them to make this roster move. Therefore I’m having him inactive in the updated list below.

Projected Inactive List:

1. Mason Rudolph
2. Kendrick Green
3. Josh Jackson Terrell Edmunds
4. Jonathan Marshall
5. Myles Jack

As always, feel free to list your projected inactives in the comments below.