Ryan Shazier is neither gone nor forgotten. The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker remains a fixture at the team’s facility as he continues his recovery from spinal surgery last December that left his football future uncertain at best.

While there is a sense of loss Jaquiski Tartt Jersey , there is no sense of panic. The Steelers understand there is no one player that has Shazier’s mix of speed and smarts. So they’re not even going to try to replace him.

Expect a group that includes free-agent signee Jon Bostic, Tyler Matakevich and possibly even rookie Terrell Edmunds as part of the committee that will be in Shazier’s spot at inside linebacker when the defending AFC North champions open the 2018 season in Cleveland.

The front office felt so comfortable with the idea it passed on selecting a linebacker in last month’s draft, the first time in nearly a decade the Steelers didn’t use one of their picks on a position coach Mike Tomlin considers among the most vital on the field.

That’s fine by Bostic. The well-traveled 27-year-old signed a two-year deal in March following a productive if injury marred season in Indianapolis. Bostic’s arrival appeared to be for depth purposes but when the draft came and went, he now finds himself with as good a shot as anyone as lining up next to veteran Vince Williams. While he kept tabs on the draft, he didn’t exactly celebrate when Pittsburgh didn’t pick up a linebacker.

”At the end of the day, I don’t get paid to do that type of stuff,” Bostic said during organized team activities this week. ”All I can control is me preparing, when my number is called upon, make sure that I’m ready.”

Something Bostic was last season for the Colts, finishing with 97 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery in 14 games before a knee injury in December sent him to injured reserve. He’s good to go now and eager to show he’s ready to unpack his bags and stay awhile.

The Chicago Bears chose Bostic in the second round of the 2013 draft, but he found himself on the move following a coaching change after the 2014 season. The Bears sent him to New England in 2015 and the following January the Patriots flipped him to Detroit for a draft pick. He never played a down for the Lions after breaking his left foot during a practice against the Steelers.

From there it was on to Indianapolis, where he breathed life into his career by being one of the most consistent performers on a team that won just four games. The expectations are considerably higher in Pittsburgh.

”Last year Deion Sanders Jersey , when I was out there, I proved myself and going forward I plan to prove myself again,” Bostic said. ”I got a lot of unfinished business.”

So do the Steelers, who were gashed for 164 yards rushing and 45 points in a stunning playoff loss to Jacksonville. Though Pittsburgh led the league and set a franchise record with 57 sacks, the defense struggled at times following Shazier’s injury against Cincinnati on Dec. 4.

Throw out a Christmas Day game against Houston – which played without quarterback DeShaun Watson – and the Steelers allowed 33.5 points and 381 yards after Shazier’s exit. They’ll have a full offseason to get ready for life without him. The plan includes potentially flipping from a 3-4 to a 4-3 look in certain situations and getting creative with substitutions.

That’s where Edmunds comes into play. Though technically a safety, he served as a de facto linebacker late in his time at Virginia Tech when the Hokies played with five or more defensive backs. There’s also Matakevich, a special teams ace who will finished 2017 on injured reserve due with a shoulder issue.

General manager Kevin Colbert pointed out after the draft that Matakevich was injured during the same quarter the Steelers lost Shazier. Who knows what he could have done if asked to fill in for Shazier? It’s one of the reasons Colbert said he didn’t feel comfortable ”reaching” for a linebacker in the draft if one who fit the profile wasn’t available.

”Between Jon and Tyler we don’t know what we have at those two quite honestly because Jon is new to us and Tyler will be in the rotation and competition as well,” Colbert said. ”If there are positions that are available to us when we are picking, and they fit and they are at the right spot, great.”

—

Shinnecock Hills is no longer the only challenge at this U.S. Open.

On a course that can cause problems in any weather, where triple bogeys or worse have been recorded on all but six holes, perhaps the most daunting prospect going into the weekend is Dustin Johnson with a four-shot lead.

Johnson played smart on the few occasions he was out of position, holed a 45-foot birdie putt on the par-3 seventh green and endured wind and two hours of rain in the morning for a 3-under 67. He was at 4-under 136 Brandon Mebane Jersey , the only player still under par going into the weekend. Scott Piercy (71) and Charley Hoffman (69) were at even par.

Only six other players in the U.S. Open have led by as many as four shots after 36 holes. All but one – Tom McNamara in 1909 – went on to win.

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) – The U.S. Open cut sliced off some huge names.

There won’t be an inspiring weekend return to the tournament for Tiger Woods, nor a fifth major championship for Rory McIlroy.

Jordan Spieth won’t get his fourth major, Martin Kaymer never contended for a third and Jason Day is going home without his second. Same deal for some other owners of one major title: Sergio Garcia, Adam Scott and Keegan Bradley.

Four players ranked in the top 10 in the world won’t be around come Saturday, missing the cut of 8-over 148: No. 4 Spieth, No. 5 Jon Rahm, No. 6 McIlroy and No. 8 Day.

Shinnecock Hills beat them all.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) – So Yeon Ryu birdied all five par-5 holes in a 5-under 67 to take the second-round lead in the Meijer LPGA Classic.

The sixth-ranked South Korean star played her final nine holes – the front nine at Blythefield Country Club – in 5-under 31 to top the leaderboard at 13-under 131. She rallied after making three bogeys in a five-hole stretch on her first nine.

Sandra Gal and Sakura Yokomine each shot 64 to reach 12 under. Caroline Masson (66) was 11 under, and Lee-Anne Pace (67), Anna Nordqvist (68) and Su Oh (68) followed at 10 under.

Kelly Shon, tied with Ryu for the first-round lead after a 64, was four shots back at 9 under after a 71. Michelle Wie and Lydia Ko were 8 under Rob Gronkowski Jersey , each shooting 67. Lexi Thompson, the 2015 winner, had a 70 to get to 6 under.

NFL

VISTA, Calif. (AP) – Former NFL tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. was jailed without bail after pleading not guilty to multiple counts of kidnapping, rape and other charges.

The 34-year-old Winslow was ordered to return to San Diego County Superior Court on June 25 for a preliminary hearing.

If convicted, Winslow could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

His attorney, Brian Watkins, did not immediately respond to a message left at his office.

Prosecutors say Winslow began a crime spree last March that included rapes, kidnappings, indecent exposure and burglary and continued until just before his arrest this week.

FRISCO, Texas (AP) – Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman David Irving was suspended for four games Friday for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy, the second straight year the pass rusher is facing a ban to start the season.

The punishment announced by the league will not keep Irving from participating in training camp starting next month in California. The 24-year-old Irving’s four-game suspension to start last season was for violating league policy on performance enhancers.

Irving was away from the Cowboys most of the offseason tending to personal issues before showing up for the mandatory three-day minicamp that ended Thursday. He declined to go into details but did mention that he was solely responsible for the care of his 5-year-old daughter.

NBA

SAN ANTONIO (AP) – Kawhi Leonard’s time with the San Antonio Spurs may soon be over.

A person familiar with the situation says Leonard has told the Spurs that he would like to be traded this summer, the clearest sign yet that the relationship between the team and the All-Star is in disrepair.

The person said Leonard has decided that he is ”unhappy with the situation” in San Antonio. The person spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the player nor the team commented publicly.

Yahoo Sports and the San Antonio Express-News first reported Leonard’s hope for a trade.

Leonard played in only nine game with the Spurs this past season because of a leg injury – officially described as right quadriceps tendinopathy Dan Marino Jersey , and the Spurs listed him as out on their injury reports for much of the year citing ”injury management.”

BASEBALL

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp and Texas Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos were suspended for one game apiece by Major League Baseball because of a scuffle that followed a collision at home plate.

Joe Torre, MLB’s chief baseball officer, announced the suspensions, along with undisclosed fines.

Chirinos was not in the Rangers’ lineup for a series opener at home against Colorado, and the team said he was serving his suspension. Kemp is appealing his suspension, and was in the lineup for Los Angeles’ game against San Francisco.

HOCKEY

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – The Arizona Coyotes have traded forward Max Domi to the Montreal Canadiens for Alex Galchenyuk in an exchange of young, talented players.

The 23-year-old Domi had been one of the cornerstones of Arizona’s rebuilding project since the Coyotes selected him with the 12th overall pick in 2013. The son of former NHL tough guy Tie Domi, Max scored 18 goals and had 34 assists as a rookie in 2015-16, but his production has dipped the past two seasons.

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