As the Steelers move toward preparations for their Week One showdown with the Broncos, their first-round pick is preparing for knee surgery.
A source with knowledge of the situation tell PFT that DeCastro will have surgery later this week to repair a knee that was injured during Saturday night’s preseason game against the Bills.
DeCastro has a torn MCL, a dislocated kneecap, and an injury to the patellar tendon. He is expected to miss three-to-five months.
The Steelers will have to decide whether to place DeCastro on injured reserve or keep him on the active roster after Friday’s deadline for dropping to 53 players. If the NFL and NFLPA had reached an agreement regarding a change in the injured reserve rules, DeCastro could have been placed on injured reserve for six weeks, with the ability to return later in the season.
In 1995, the Steelers held a roster spot for cornerback Rod Woodson for the entire season, and he eventually played in Super Bowl XXX.