Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered a devastating spinal injury in December 2017 and missed the entire 2018 campaign as a result.

If you were expecting Shazier back in 2019, you are going to be disappointed, as he will not be cleared to play next season, meaning he will not be back on the field until 2020, at the earliest.

However, the Steelers still want him on the team, even if it is not in a playing capacity:

“He knows that,” Colbert said of Shazier, according to Joe Rutter of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I can’t really speak for him, but I know he still wants to try to play football. We’ll support him. There’s no ceiling on what we would ever say to him as far as him wanting to do that. That’s up to him. He continues to rehab. He continues to improve.”

Shazier's contract expires on March 13, meaning he will become an unrestricted free agent. Any deal that the Steelers sign him to will count against the salary cap, but Colbert is prepared to handle the situation:

“It’s a unique situation,” Colbert said. “Ryan will be part of the football roster in some form or fashion in 2019. We have to figure out what is legal by NFL means. We are in the process of doing that.”

Colbert would also like Shazier to be involved in scouting and player development, just like he was in 2018:

“If we can find a way that he can do both, and I think we can, we have to get clarification and verification from the league that this will be good,” Colbert said.

The Steelers are hoping to get back on track next season after missing the playoffs.