The Pittsburgh Steelers were excited to see what Nick Herbig could do as the primary edge rusher opposite of TJ Watt. The only downside was that he got that chance because Alex Highsmith went down with a groin injury in Week 3. No specifics have been revealed about the severity of the issue or the timetable of the recovery. He received an MRI the day after the game against the Los Angeles Chargers, but was very vague about it. Even with the depth that the Steelers have at edge rusher, they still want Highsmith back as soon as possible.
Fred Vuich / Associated Press
The Pittsburgh Steelers' two-headed edge rushing monster - TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith, celebrate a sack.
Highsmith did provide some insight to his injury, and he revealed some key information without saying it up front.
More from Alex Highsmith: "I just got to see what the results are, and just know that it's a long season. I just don't want this to be something that's lingering all season. When I'm out there, I want to be 100%" https://t.co/q0y6BwsVh8
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) September 23, 2024
What Highsmith directly said was that he wants to play injury-free, as opposed to fighting through whatever problem he has. What that means, however, is that he will most likely miss some games while dealing with this injury. Groin injuries can be very tricky. Even if it's just a minor strain, that could lead to a month of recovery at the very least. Basically, Highsmith is a candidate to hit Injured Reserve (IR).
Joe Sargent / Getty Images
Alex Highsmith (56) of the Pittsburgh Steelers forces a fumble by Tom Brady (12) formerly of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Steelers' Depth Will Have To Step Up
Obviously, Herbig will step into his role as he and Watt will likely continue to terrorize opposing quarterbacks together. Herbig had two sacks, including one with a forced fumble, in just 19 snaps against the Chargers. The Steelers know all about what he can do, but time will truly show what he can accomplish as a full-time starter, as he will have to play many more reps in each game than he ever has during his time in the NFL thus far.
Even with that, the Steelers need to get their depth players behind Herbig ready to go, whether it's because of another unfortunate injury, or if either of the starters just need a breather. DeMarvin Leal was seen as a guy that could play defensive end or outside linebacker, and because of the injury, he will likely be the next man up as the first rotational pass rusher on the outside. He got some work in during the preseason in that spot, and he will most likely get a lot more during practice and the games moving forward for the time being.
Associated Press
Defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal jumps to bat a pass during a Pittsburgh Steelers game against the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023.
Adetokunbo Ogundeji is the only other outside linebacker on the team, and he is on the practice squad. Unless the Steelers pick up a veteran quickly, he will likely get elevated to the active/inactive roster before the game. You can't have too much depth, and Ogundeji will have to do his part and prove that he can do his job for a handful of snaps.
What do you think about Highsmith refusing to play until he's completely healthy? Let us know in the comments.
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