Mike Bires of the Beaver County Times is reporting that Trai Essex will move back into the starting lineup at right guard Sunday night against the New Orleans Saints. Essex is recovered from an early season sprained ankle suffered in week 2 against the Tennessee Titans. Essex had been replaced in the starting lineup by Doug Legursky and has struggled some in those starts. Essex was close to being ready last week, but the coaching staff wanted to be cautious of bringing him back too soon so he was held out again in Miami.
In other injury news, right defensive end Brett Keisel will miss his second straight game with a hamstring injury as he did not practice again on Friday. Nick Eason will once again start in his place, while Ziggy Hood will start at left defensive end in place of the injured Aaron Smith, who\’s out indefinitely with a partially torn triceps. The Steelers are expected to sign defensive tackle Steve McLendon from the practice squad on Saturday for depth to the decimated defensive line. Another outside option is rookie Al Woods who is also on the practice squad and working on a conversion to defensive end from defensive tackle.
