The Pittsburgh Steelers have been put through a lot of adversity when it comes to injuries early on in the 2024 season. They have taken hits on both sides of the football. Alex Highsmith is expected to make his return on defense, but Nick Herbig and Cory Trice Jr. remain injured. On offense, Pittsburgh lost James Daniels for the entire season and the team is going to be missing their best rookie in Zach Frazier for quite some time.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers rookie Zach Frazier warms up prior to his first preseason start against the Buffalo Bills.
Frazier suffered an ankle injury during the second quarter of the Steelers' victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6. This was obviously hard to see, but the rookie was able to walk off of the field and he eventually walked down into the locker room. No official diagnosis has been given for his ankle injury, but it was reported that there is no structural damage.
Steelers insider Gerry Dulac reported on Thursday that Frazier isn't expected to return to the field until after the bye week.
Steelers not expecting C Zach Frazier back until sometime after the bye week. Another blow to the O-line.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) October 17, 2024
This is a big deal for Pittsburgh as they will be taking on two of the best interior defensive linemen in the league over the next two weeks. On Sunday night, the Steelers will be lining up across from Quinnen Williams, who is an All-Pro defensive tackle - and he'll be looking to have a big night against a backup center. In Week 8, Pittsburgh will take on the New York Giants, who have Dexter Lawrence - an All-Pro nose tackle.
Kyle Hess / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Zach Frazier during his NFL debut against the Atlanta Falcons.
Based on this report, the team is expecting Frazier to miss at least two games. Pittsburgh's bye comes in Week 9, so Frazier will likely only be missing the games against the Jets and the Giants. Another sign that points to Frazier only missing a couple games rather than an extended period of time is the fact that he hasn't been placed on Injured Reserve, which would have meant he would miss four games at the least.
In Frazier's spot will be Ryan McCollum, who filled in for him once he went down against the Raiders. There didn't seem to be any issues with any snaps, and with a full week of preparation, he should be ready to go by Sunday night. McCollum has been with Pittsburgh since training camp ahead of the 2022 season, but he has spent nearly all of his time on the practice squad.
This will be his second start in the NFL, as he started one game during his time with the Detroit Lions during the 2021 season. He played 100 percent of the offensive snaps for the Lions during that game, but his team lost by four touchdowns.
Steelers' Offensive Performance On Sunday Night May Be Ugly
The Steelers announced over the last week that Russell Wilson is officially being considered for the starting job now that he is has returned to full health. He is a better passer than Justin Fields, and has plenty of experience, which could be a good thing for Pittsburgh. Things seem to be trending towards Wilson getting the start, but with the beat up offensive line of the Steelers, things could get ugly.
Steelers.com
Steelers' QB Russell Wilson making his first appearance in the black and gold as they hosted the Buffalo Bills in preseason.
Wilson isn't nearly as mobile as he once was (back during his days as a member of the Seattle Seahawks), especially now that he is returning from a calf injury. Pittsburgh will have backups in at center and right guard against one of the better defensive fronts in the league. There is a chance Wilson will be under tremendous pressure throughout the game, and he doesn't have the mobility of Fields to escape or extend plays.
What do you think about Frazier missing at least two games? Let us know in the comments below!
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