Steelers forced to recover from woeful start without Pouncey and Foote

The Pittsburgh Steelers will have to press on without two of its most vital contributors.

Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey will undergo surgery later this week to repair his injured right knee. Linebacker Larry Foote will also have surgery to fix a ruptured right biceps.

Both players went down in Sunday's dismal 16-9 loss to Tennessee and are lost for the year. Their absence tests the depth at two positions where the Steelers are painfully thin.

Kion Wilson, who was out of the NFL in 2012, will get the first crack at stepping in for Foote.

The Steelers also plan to re-sign running back Jonathan Dwyer, who was cut at the end of preseason. Pittsburgh needs help in the backfield after LaRod Stephens-Howling tore the ACL in his knee on Sunday.