Deonte Brown started the Birmingham Stallions’ season-opening game at left guard on March 30. Six snaps into the contest against the Arlington Renegades, the former Alabama lineman sustained an ankle injury and hasn’t played since.

But Brown will be eligible to return to the field when the Stallions take on the Michigan Panthers in the United Football League playoffs at 2 p.m. CDT Saturday at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.

While Brown will be available for the postseason, the Stallions will have to move ahead without left offensive tackle Christian DiLauro, who went to injured reserve as Brown came off this week.

The Stallions’ depth chart for Saturday’s game shows Brown as the backup to Derwin Gray at left guard and Matt Kaskey starting at left tackle. Kaskey started two games at right tackle and two games at left tackle during the regular season.

Brown isn’t the only player returning for Birmingham on Saturday. A staple of the Stallions’ two USFL championship teams and a starter for the first five games of this season, safety JoJo Tillery is back after missing the past five games.

Cornerback Nevelle Clarke, linebacker DeMarquis Gates and running back Ricky Person Jr. also could be back in Birmingham’s starting lineup on Saturday after missing last week’s regular-season finale – a 20-19 victory over the Panthers.

Michigan is expecting running back Matthew Colburn II and wide receiver Marcus Simms to be ready for Saturday’s game after they missed last week’s trip to Birmingham.

Colburn is the Panthers’ leading rushing with 401 yards and four touchdowns on 90 carries. Simms leads Michigan in receiving yards with 426 yards on 23 catches. He has scored three touchdowns.

Michigan will be without change-of-pace quarterback Bryce Perkins, who got hurt during his only series against the Stallions last week. But the Panthers will have E.J. Perry. The starter for Michigan’s first four games this season will join Danny Etling as the Panthers’ quarterbacks on Saturday afternoon.

ABC will televise the Panthers-Stallions game.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.