Pittsburgh Steelers OLB Alex Highsmith injured his groin right before halftime in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers, and he’s set to miss his second straight game when the Steelers take on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5. The Steelers didn’t place Highsmith on IR, meaning they expect him to miss less than four games, and Mark Kaboly reported on Twitter that the team is eyeing Week 7 against the New York Jets for his return.
That would mean that Highsmith would miss three games, including next week’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Pittsburgh’s outside linebacker depth got a little bit better this week with the team signing Eku Leota to the practice squad while also opening up the 21-day practice window for OLB Jeremiah Moon, although it would be a surprise if Moon was activated this week. He was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, but the team is likely going to be cautious with him given that he’s missed the first four weeks of the season.
Nick Herbig has filled in for Highsmith, and he got two sacks in the second half against the Chargers, but he injured his ankle in Week 4. While he returned to the game, he didn’t practice on Wednesday, so his status bears watching ahead of Week 5. If Herbig can’t go, the Steelers would likely start DeMarvin Leal, who served as the team’s third outside linebacker against the Colts, opposite T.J. Watt. However, the expectation is that Herbig will play despite being limited early in the week, Mike Tomlin said during his Tuesday press conference.
Even though Herbig has shown flashes and made some plays replacing Highsmith, it’s still a big loss for the Steelers, so it’s good news that he’s going to be back in the fold in the next few weeks. The Jets matchup will be a big test, going up against Aaron Rodgers in primetime. Having Watt and Highsmith back together off the edge should be good news for the Steelers’ pass rush and defense as a whole.
