Steelers activate NT Tyson Alualu after knee issue

Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Tyson Alualu began training camp on the physically unable to perform list because of a knee injury. That ailment came after he missed 15 games last season with an ankle injury.

The Steelers have the 35-year-old back among their participants at the start of the week and ahead of this coming Saturday's preseason opener versus the Seattle Seahawks. 

Per Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, the Steelers activated Alualu on Monday. Alper adds that "it seems unlikely" that Alualu will feature against the Seahawks, and it's unknown if he'll be available for upcoming exhibition matchups at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug. 20 and versus the Detroit Lions on Aug. 28. 

Alualu has appeared in a total of 64 regular-season games for the Steelers since the 2017 campaign. According to Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Alualu noted in late July that he was "being smart" about returning from the knee issue he first suffered during spring workouts.

"It’s probably the coaches holding me back, just being smart to where I am not kind of pushing my limits to where something worse might happen," Alualu added at that time. 

Ahead of this past weekend, free-agent signing Larry Ogunjobi explained that he could "move around" and handle Alualu's role early into the season, if necessary. 

"I want to play the 4-(technique), but whatever the team needs me to do, I can do. We’re here to be ballplayers," Ogunjobi said. "You can affect the quarterback, you can affect the ball carrier at any position if you play it right. I’m just excited for the opportunity."