Will Derrick Harmon make his Steelers debut against the Patriots?
Although Steelers HC Mike Tomlin described Derrick Harmon as “questionable at best”, the rookie sounded a more optimistic tone. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, he essentially declared himself ready to go. The first-round defensive lineman suffered a knee injury in the preseason, but returned to practice this week.
Of course, Harmon is also a starter, lest we forget. DL coach Karl Dunbar explicated that during OTAs, and his usage during training camp made it abundantly clear. During the preseason, he showed a big jump from Week 1 to Week 2. Unfortunately, he failed to finish the third game and escape into the regular season healthy.
Without Derrick Harmon, the Steelers have not played well on defense. In most major categories, they rank toward the bottom of the league. It’s a wonder they’re only 1-1. Still, one must remember Harmon is no magic ointment, either. After all, this guy has never played a snap in the NFL before. Not that he didn’t have the benefit of just about a full offseason.
As he told reporters on Wednesday, Derrick Harmon has continued to learn and grow despite not practicing. While he hadn’t been in drills, he still attended every meeting, walkthrough, and practice, studying and bettering himself. As he catches up to the physical component, we still start to see him play.
But how long will that process take—or perhaps, how short? Could we see Harmon play this weekend against the Patriots? If he doesn’t play this week, the Steelers only have one more game before their bye. They could play him then, but might they want to wait an extra week?
Of course, there’s a reason the Steelers didn’t place Derrick Harmon on the Reserve/Injured List, although it isn’t just about the requirement of missing at least four games. One imagines the Steelers anticipated him being physically ready to play within that timeframe. But they also wanted him to practice as soon as he could. If he were on IR, he wouldn’t be practicing right now. And we certainly wouldn’t be having the discussion about him potentially playing.
After another disappointing season and months of retooling, the Steelers are set to try it all again in 2025. Though they limped into the playoffs, they once again embarrassed themselves therein.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. They settled in on Aaron Rodgers, but we still have a lot to learn about him. The 2025 NFL Draft class could play a big role, but veteran additions like Jalen Ramsey will be paramount.
Now we are in the regular season. From Rodgers to George Pickens to Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ramsey, we’ve seen the Steelers make some big changes. Now it’s about evaluating the roster in place and figuring out how it all works out.
