Pittsburgh Steelers thin at tight end after Jesse James injury

Pittsburgh is thin at the tight end position and could very well be hanging up a "help wanted" sign after seeing Jesse James go down in Saturday night's 16-6 win over the Tennessee Titans.

James suffered a contusion to his back, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said after the game.

"I don't know the severity. ... We'll give you an appropriate update when we get it," Tomlin said of James' injury.

James was injured while leaping to catch a pass from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the second quarter.

"I was most disappointed throwing to him," Roethlisberger told reporters after the game. "We've had some good connections in the past. That's on me. He was in the right spots. I was sailing [the football] a little bit. ... I hate that he got hit because of a pass I threw tonight."

The Steelers already were missing starter Vance McDonald, who has been out all of the preseason with a foot injury. Backup Xavier Grimble (thumb/wrist) had surgery earlier in August.

It's possible that none of the three will be ready for Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns.

James is entering his fourth year and coming off his best season when he started 14 games and recorded 43 receptions and three touchdowns.