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Suisham will likely miss season

By Jim Wexell for The 2 min read
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Reports today strongly indicate that Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Shuan Suisham will miss the 2015 season with a torn left anterior cruciate ligament.

The most accurate field-goal kicker in team history, Suisham made a 36-yard field goal in the first half of Sunday night’s Hall of Fame Game, but injured the knee during the second-half kickoff when he got in on Jordan Sullen’s tackle at the Minnesota 23-yard line.

Suisham was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday. The Steelers return to Saint Vincent College on Tuesday.

The Steelers have no other kicker on the roster and would need to begin sorting through the “camp legs” currently competing for jobs with other teams.

A couple of veterans, of course, are available in Jay Feeley, 39, and Shayne Graham, 37. Feeley kicked in four games last year for the Chicago Bears and Graham kicked for the New Orleans Saints, but both have seen their better days.

If the Steelers are looking for young prospects, two of the best preseason battles are being waged in Oakland and Denver.

The Raiders have re-signed local favorite Giorgio Tavecchio out of Cal. He’s been with four teams the last four preseasons, but the Raiders like him and some believe they might keep Tavecchio and cut the high-salaried Sebastian Janikowski.

In Denver, the Broncos are looking for separation between Connor Barth and Brandon McManus. Both took turns with the team last year. Barth is more accurate (15-for-16), but McManus has a stronger leg.

Other young kickers who are having strong summers include:

n Jason Myers of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who was a four-year kicker at Marist before kicking in the Arena League last year.

n Will Johnson of the Houston Texans, who was a Combine invite but is more of a punter/kickoff specialist than a consistent placekicker.

n Mike Meyer of the Tennessee Titans, who made 61-of-80 field goals at Iowa, including 19-of-21 in the fourth quarter and overtime.

The local favorite is probably Penn State’s Sam Ficken, who’s not with a team but is coming off a 24-for-29 senior season.

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