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Mike Adams out 6-8 weeks, even more missed time for the injury-plagued offensive linemen

The Steelers projected right tackle Mike Adams is said to be out 6-8 weeks after being stabbed in an apparent robbery attempt Saturday in Pittsburgh. This is one of the many injuries the second-year player has had so far in his short career.

Doug Pensinger

Steelers offensive tackle Mike Adams has had a rough start to his NFL career. Some of those struggles have been self-caused, like the late-night trip he allegedly made to Pittsburgh to beg to be placed back on the Steelers' draft board after he failed a drug test at the NFL Scouting Combine in 2012.

He was successful in his efforts. The Steelers selected him in the second round.

Adams was injured during the preseason, causing him to miss a bit of time. He also got beaten on like (no pun intended) he stole something against Philadelphia in the team's first preseason game - pretty much ending the idea Adams could start at left tackle his rookie year. Veteran Max Starks took over the job, and Adams went to the bench.

Then, they tried Adams on the right side, in replacement of Marcus Gilbert, in the middle of the first game of the year, at Denver. He wasn't exactly good in that game, either. Wasn't terrible, but wasn't good. That seemed like a successful outing, considering his preseason debut.

He appeared in Week 2 against the Jets, but was injured, and eventually would miss the Steelers' Week 3 loss against Oakland. Gilbert was hurt in that game as well, and Adams would eventually make his first career start in Week 7 - a season-saving win at Cincinnati, in which Adams performed like the player the Steelers thought he'd become.

Gilbert's injury occurred against Tennessee in Week 6, and never played again. Adams took over, and looked much stronger on the right side than the left. It revitalized the Steelers' running game, which, to that point, had been among the worst units in the league.

The Steelers ran all over Cincinnati (24-17 win), Washington (27-12 win) and the Giants (24-20 win), bringing the Steelers to 5-3 on the year. They lost quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in an overtime win over the Chiefs in Week 10. Adams would get hurt in a Week 11 loss to Baltimore, this time, his ankle. It would put him on the shelf for the remainder of the season.

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