The Facts: Parker sat out the Steelers' practice Saturday with back spasms, although the team doesn't believe the problem is serious. "It shouldn't be a big, major deal, but we wanted to exercise caution," HC Mike Tomlin said.
Diehards Line:Parker, 28, is coming off his worst season since becoming the Steelers' starting RB in 2005. Knee and shoulder injuries limited him to 11 games in 2008 and he gained 791 yards on 210 carries, averaging a career-low 3.8 yards per attempt. Parker is heading into the final season of his contract and is expected to lose some carries to second-year man Rashard Mendenhall. A first-round draft pick in 2008, Mendenhall missed most of last season with a shoulder injury but has looked good in camp.