QB Wilson set to practice, could play vs. Raiders

PITTSBURGH — Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson is scheduled to be a full participant in Wednesday’s practice for the first time since aggravating his calf injury on Sept. 5, leaving the “door ajar” for him to be active against the Las Vegas Raiders, coach Mike Tomlin said.

“The fact that he’s a full participant is a door that’s ajar,” Tomlin said. “But to say any more than that is to speculate, because he’s got to get through the day, he’s got to show up on Thursday and see where the roads lead us.”

Wilson, 35, will work with the second offensive unit, while Justin Fields will continue practicing with the first team during team periods in Wednesday’s practice, Tomlin said.

“We’re in a little bit different place as I stand here today with Russ this week than we have been in recent weeks,” the coach said in his weekly Tuesday news conference. “Tomorrow will be the first Wednesday that he’ll be a scheduled full participant. We’ll see what that leads us first. We’ll see if he’s able to obviously pull it off and get through the session, and if he does, what does the quality of that work look like? His ability to protect himself, etc., or some of the conversations that we’ve been having but just been having more in a hypothetical way. He’s at the point of health now where we can work on a Wednesday without restrictions, so we’ll do so.

“He’ll get reps with the second unit as to not disrupt Justin’s preparation and then we’ll see where all of that leads us as we push through the week.”

Wilson has been inactive each of the first five games of the season and served as the emergency third quarterback. Wilson began warming up and throwing on the sideline Sunday night when Fields briefly exited the game to be checked for an injury, and backup Kyle Allen entered for two plays.