Ben Roethlisberger's newest offensive weapon was sidelined for the Steelers' first offseason practice on Tuesday.
Speedy tight end Ladarius Green is recovering from surgery to repair an ankle injury that dogged him throughout the second half of the season. Green originally revealed the news when he left San Diego to sign with Pittsburgh in March.
Roethlisberger doesn't know when he'll have Green back at practice, but the timetable has been set for training camp.
"That's the hard part," Roethlisberger said, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I just know kind of the things I've heard and seen with him and the Chargers. I'm excited to have him out here, just not sure when that's going to be. We spent some time talking behind the scenes a little bit, behind practice. So, I hope mentally he'll be ready to go, when he's physically ready."
The Steelers are counting on Green's high-end speed to stretch the field after losing Heath Miller to retirement and Martavis Bryant to suspension.
"He's got a bright future in Pittsburgh," Chargers coach Mike McCoy raved in late March. "Can't say enough good things about him ... his knowledge of the game, and the big thing is his playmaking ability. A very talented player in the passing game."