Inside the Steel City’s Jim Wexell is reporting on twitter that Max Starks has the dreaded, “high ankle sprain.” Starks is listed “doubtful” for next week, but it is highly unlikely that he will play.

High ankle sprains normally take 4-6 weeks to heal, but in reality, they seem to take a full off season to heal properly, at least for running backs, defensive backs, wide receivers, and linebackers.

Perhaps, given that speed is less of a requirement at left tackle, Starks will be back to 100% more quickly.

Wexell is also reporting that Trai Essex (who seems to have assumed the role of spokesman for the offensive line) predicts that Tony Hills will start.

It during his rookie training camp that Wexell first compared the Steelers 2008 fourth round draft pick to John Jackson, who went from being an unhearlded rookie to anchoring the left side of the Steelers line from 1989 to 1997.

Hills of course has been invisible since then and was a total after thought when Willie Colon got injured in OTA. However, Hills blossomed this summer under the tutelage of new offensive line coach Sean Kugler.

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