There was good news coming out of the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Friday with three key cogs in the Steelers offense returning to practice for the first time this week.

James Conner (ankle), Vance McDonald (shoulder) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (toe) were all full participants in practice on Friday as the team prepares to take on the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at Heinz Field. McDonald and Smith-Schuster are both listed as questionable for Sunday, while Conner is not on the status report.

"It was good to get some rust off," said Conner. "I took a lot of mental reps this week."

Smith-Schuster said the toe injury was the same thing he was dealing with earlier in the season and getting on the field on Friday was good to get him in the groove for Sunday.

"I just wanted to get the plays down and make sure I know what I am doing," said Smith-Schuster.

If McDonald can go, the Steelers will have a full arsenal at tight end and it would be the first time that McDonald and newly acquired Nick Vannett would both be a part of the offense.

"I don't know what the plan is as far as that, but I think we're two very exciting players and we can do a lot," said Vannett. "It just gives the offensive coordinator plenty of options of what they want to do with us. You have both of us on the field, it just creates so many mismatch problems in the run game and in the pass game.

"I think it would be real exciting for the offense."

Anthony Chickillo (foot) and Roosevelt Nix (knee) have officially been ruled out for the game, Chickillo missing his third straight game and Nix missing his fourth game of the season.

The team is hoping to get Vince Williams back after he missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. Williams is listed as questionable for Sunday, although he was a full participant in practice all week.

In his absence Devin Bush and Mark Barron have been strong, but Williams' presence means a lot to the defense.