During his weekly Tuesday press conference, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin ruled out OLB Nick Herbig and C Zach Frazier for the team’s Sunday Night Week 7 contest against the New York Jets. Tomlin said via the team’s YouTube channel that Ryan McCollum, who replaced Frazier when he left with an ankle injury in Week 6, will start in his place.
“Nick Herbig can still be categorized as out with his hamstring, Zach Frazier will be categorized as out with his ankle. Ryan McCollum, who finished the game, is scheduled to play in his place,” Tomlin said.
Tomlin didn’t rule out RB Cordarrelle Patterson or S Damontae Kazee playing against the Jets and said that the team will let their participation throughout the week decide whether they’ll play on Sunday. In a bit of good news, Tomlin said the team is “really optimistic” about Alex Highsmith returning. He also said that TE MyCole Pruitt will also get some limited work this week after missing the last four games with an injury.
“Some of these other guys, we’re gonna watch their participation throughout the course of the week and let their participation be our guide in terms of their potential availability,” Tomlin said. “Patterson, as he works his way back to us, really optimistic about Alex Highsmith working his way back to us. Kazee, Pruitt, are some others that will be getting at least a limited amount of work at the top part of the week and kind of letting it pick up based on what transpires and then considerations from there as we go.”
It’s not ideal that Frazier is out, but FOX Sports insider Jordan Schultz reported that Frazier is “week to week,” which is at least better news that an injury that could be more long-term. Tomlin also called “Frazier “week to week,” saying the injury is not a long-term one.
Herbig suffered a hamstring injury in Week 5 and missed the Week 6 game against the Raiders. With Highsmith potentially returning this week from the groin injury that’s sidelined him the last three games, the Steelers will at least have their original starting EDGE duo potentially back with T.J. Watt and Highsmith, although Herbig remaining out hurts depth at the position.
All things considered, it’s better injury news for the 4-2 Steelers than they’ve had in recent weeks, although Frazier is a big loss as he’d been playing like one of the best centers in the league as a rookie.
Kazee missed Week 6 and could be back as more secondary depth, while Patterson would give the Steelers a healthy running back room with Jaylen Warren returning in Week 6 behind Najee Harris. We’ll see if Kazee, Pruitt and Patterson along with Highsmith can show enough in practice to be ready for a big AFC battle on Sunday night.
