During his weekly press conference Tuesday, Mike Tomlin offered a Pittsburgh Steelers injury update ahead of their critical Week 11 game against the Baltimore Ravens. Per Tomlin, Alex Highsmith will not play Sunday due to an ankle injury suffered against the Washington Commanders Sunday.
“From a health standpoint, you can characterize Alex Highsmith as out this week,” Tomlin said via the team’s YouTube channel. “We’ll take it week-to-week in terms of his availability. He won’t be available this week.”
While Highsmith won’t play, Nick Herbig is poised to return after missing more than a month with a hamstring injury.
“Pretty comfortable that Herbig will be back this week,” Tomlin said. “He was at the doorstep of it a week ago. So it’s reasonable to be able to include him. Some other guys who have missed some time, we’ll just let their participation be our guide whether or not they get back on the train or not. Guys like Cory Trice [Jr.], for example.
Tomlin offered an optimistic view for CB Donte Jackson (hamstring) and RB Najee Harris (leg/ankle) after each were injured Sunday in the Steelers’ win over the Washington Commanders. Tomlin said he saw Jackson earlier in the day and that he “feels good,” though noted practicing tomorrow and throughout the week will be a better indicator. He noted those two could be limited early during the practice week.
WR Calvin Austin III is also expected to play after leaving late in the Commanders game. The league’s independent spotter appeared to call for Austin to be checked for a concussion after taking a hard hit in the fourth quarter.
Pittsburgh’s struggled to have a fully healthy outside linebacker group this season. Alex Highsmith exited midway through the team’s Week 3 game against the Los Angeles Chargers due to a groin injury he initially suffered in training camp. Herbig suffered a hamstring injury in the Steelers’ Week 5 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Highsmith returned in Week 7 but left late in the win over the Commanders due to an ankle injury. On crutches postgame, he’s reportedly in line to miss two to three games.
Herbig practiced in limited fashion last Wednesday and Thursday before sitting out Friday’s practice and ruled out for the Week 10 game. Returning this week would give Pittsburgh a three-man rotation of himself, T.J. Watt, and new EDGE rusher Preston Smith while Jeremiah Moon serves as the No. 4. Moon did not play a defensive snap against Washington.
Jackson suffered a hamstring injury in the second half against the Commanders. Replaced by James Pierre, Jackson has battled injuries throughout the year, most notably a shoulder that’s caused him to miss parts of multiple games. Still, the injuries don’t seem like they’ll hold him out of the Ravens game.
The team could open the practice window for CB Cory Trice Jr. this week. If that happens, it would most likely occur Wednesday. Trice has been out since injuring his hamstring in Week 3.
Harris briefly left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury but returned to finish the game. The team is likely to offer its standard rotation of rest days to veteran players like DL Cam Heyward and OG Isaac Seumalo.
The Steelers and Ravens kick off Sunday at 1 PM/EST.
