The Steelers needed to create room on the roster for running back Rashard Mendenhall’s return from suspension before 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday and they’ve chosen to do that by placing guard Willie Colon on injured reserve.
Colon has missed three of the last four games with a knee injury and there were fears last week that it would end his season. Whether they kept him around in hopes of better news on the health front or because they knew they’d need to open a spot for Mendenhall this week is immaterial now that he’s been shut down for the rest of the year.
It’s the third straight season to end with a trip to injured reserve for Colon. He missed all of 2009 because of an Achilles injury and played just one game last season before missing the rest of the year with a torn triceps.
The Steelers moved Maurkice Pouncey to left guard in Colon’s place earlier in the season, but left him at center against the Cowboys in Week 15. Ramon Foster flipped to the left side and rookie David DeCastro made his NFL debut as the starting right guard. That figures to be their look the rest of the way up front now that they’re sure Colon isn’t coming back.