Colon headed to IR — again

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Willie Colon’s season is over before it really started. Again.

The Steelers placed their starting right tackle on the injured reserve list on Tuesday hours after the 28-year-old lineman underwent surgery to repair a torn right triceps sustained in a season-opening loss to Baltimore.

This is the second straight year Colon’s season has been cut remarkably short. He missed all of last year after rupturing his Achillies’ tendon in mini-camp, but the team was so confident he would bounce back it signed him to a five-year, $29 million contract in July.

“For Willie, going down two consecutive seasons is a tough blow,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “We will keep him close and encourage him, and help him through what is going to be a tough time with rehab.”

Rookie Marcus Gilbert will get the first crack at replacing Colon when the Steelers play host to Seattle on Sunday. Gilbert, taken in the second round of this year’s draft, impressed during the preseason.

“He’s a talented young guy,” Tomlin said of Gilbert. “He doesn’t have a great deal of experience but we are going to give him an opportunity to play and show what he’s capable of.”

Pittsburgh signed well-traveled veteran Jamon Meredith to fill Colon’s roster spot. Meredith, who played a total of five games for three teams last year, was waived by the New York Giants this month.

Colon’s injury is a significant blow to a line that looked overwhelmed at times against the Ravens. Baltimore sacked Ben Roethlisberger four times and forced a club-record seven turnovers as the defending AFC champions endured their worst opening-game loss in 14 years.

Gilbert is 6-foot-6, 330-pounds, nimble and versatile. He played multiple positions in college at Florida and held his own while going against the first-team defense in practice.

“He has done a nice job with the opportunities he has been given up to this point,” Tomlin said.

Gilbert’s performance will be the least of Pittsburgh’s concerns if the Steelers can’t find a way to bounce back quickly after the Ravens thumped them in every phase of the game.