Sep 2, 2009 5 min read

PITTSBURGH – Lawrence Timmons had a smile on his face and a walking boot on his left foot in the hallway at the Steelers’ South Side practice facility. Will the young linebacker be ready for the opener in eight days?

“Oh, yeah, I’m going to play in the opener,” he said, a bit surprised by the question.

Timmons was asked if he’s 100 percent certain.

“Nobody can be certain about anything,” he said, “but I really think I’ll play.”

Timmons explained that the high ankle sprain was “a mild high ankle sprain,” and that he only expects to miss Thursday night’s preseason finale at Carolina.

The Steelers open the regular season the following Thursday at home against the Tennessee Titans. Reserve Keyaron Fox, who made his own highlight reel last Saturday night with several punishing tackles against Buffalo, is ready just in case Timmons isn’t.

“I’ve been preparing myself at both the buck and mack, just in case somebody got hurt,” said Fox. “I’m ready.”

Actually, the mack linebacker spot, where Timmons has replaced Larry Foote this season, is an easier position – mentally – than the buck, where captain James Farrior makes the calls and adjustments in Dick LeBeau’s complex defense.

Fox, who played well last preseason, said he rarely played the position in the regular season because he didn’t know what he was doing.

“I knew enough to get by and go out there and make it look good, but I don’t think coaches were comfortable. I probably wasn’t comfortable,” Fox said. “I’m comfortable playing the buck position now, but not making the calls will give me time to think to myself what I have to do at the mack.”

Even though Fox played little linebacker last season, he was second to Anthony Madison in special teams tackles. This preseason he’s been even better covering kicks.

“In my heart I feel I’m not just a special teams guy,” Fox said. “I’d much rather play linebacker. But, last year, with all the great talent we had at linebacker, I pretty much just settled into that role. I didn’t feel like I was able to compete for a starting position because I didn’t know the defense. It allowed me to be comfortable and play hard at special teams and I was straight. In Kansas City, I felt I should’ve been on the field at linebacker, so I never really dedicated 100 percent of my time to special teams.”

HAMPTON GETTING CUT? Jason LaCanfora, who replaced Adam Schefter as NFL Network’s “insider,” said in a chat Monday that “some people close to the situation” expect the Steelers to make a move with Casey Hampton, and possibly cut him.

“Really?” asked Hampton. “Are they going to cut me today?”

Well, before the season.

“You never know,” Hampton replied. “It could happen to anybody. I’m not exempt.”

When told he didn’t look worried, Hampton exploded into laughter.

“I’m pretty sure I could make another team,” he said.

Of course, Hampton’s not going anywhere, particularly since he’s in much better shape than he was a year ago and is playing up to his old standards.

“I’m doing all right,” he said. “Just trying to win a Super Bowl. That’s my main thing, man. Trying not to be complacent like we were last time and trying to show these young guys how to work.”

Hampton did say that if he’s cut, and the Lions picked him up, he’d retire. A passerby overheard the remark.

“Did you say you were going to the Lions?” asked James Farrior.

“Yeah, didn’t you hear the rumors? I’m getting cut,” Hampton said.

“Been nice workin’ with you, dawg,” Farrior said.

On a serious note, Hampton was asked if he might regain his Pro Bowl form.

“I definitely think so,” he said. “I know what I’m capable of doing. I mean I was nicked up last year, banged up all last year. I played through it, never said anything, never complained. I’m really healthy this year, and I feel like when I’m healthy it can get ugly. So we’re going to see. I feel real good, so, we’ll see.”

INJURY REPORT: Rookie fullback Frank Summers returned to practice, or what the veterans dubbed “Young Guys Day.”

Still sidelined were Willie Parker, Carey Davis, Santonio Holmes, Sean McHugh, Timmons and Dennis Dixon.

It’s doubtful any of them will play Thursday, and McHugh and Dixon are doubtful for the opener. But Davis (ankle) and Holmes (back) are expected to return in time, as is Parker, who refused to confirm that he has a minor hamstring injury.

“All I can tell you is that I’m going to play in the opener,” Parker said.

QUOTABLE: Ben Roethlisberger on playing the Titans in the opener:

“I like a challenge. I don’t want to come out and play the easiest team in the NFL. I’m liking this challenge because they’re a great football team and we owe them one.”