A groin damage will sideline Steelers exterior linebacker Alex Highsmith for a number of weeks, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. Highsmith initially handled the damage throughout coaching camp and aggravated it throughout Pittsburgh’s Week 3 win over the Chargers on Sunday. Highsmith’s damage just isn’t thought-about main, nor will it require surgical procedure, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, so the veteran may keep away from a stint on injured reserve.
2023 fourth-round choose Nate Herbig is predicted to take over Highsmith’s function, giving the previous Wisconsin linebacker his first beginning gig within the NFL. He appeared in 17 video games with 23 tackles, three sacks and two pressured fumbles as a rookie as a rotational edge defender behind Highsmith and T.J. Watt.
Herbig took benefit of his alternative after Highsmith went down on Sunday and completed the sport with two sacks, together with a strip-sack of Justin Herbert after beating Chargers Professional Bowl left deal with Rashawn Slater.
Highsmith’s damage leaves the Steelers skinny at exterior linebacker, with solely Jeremiah Moon backing up Watt and Herbig. Rookie linebacker Payton Wilson has the flexibility and dimension to slip exterior and play off the sting, a task he sometimes stuffed at North Carolina State. Observe squad exterior linebacker Adetokunbo Ogundeji will possible obtain some game-day elevations as effectively.
Highsmith is within the second 12 months of a four-year, $68M extension signed in 2023 after his 14.5-sack breakout marketing campaign in 2022. He recorded simply seven sacks final 12 months and just one over the Steelers’ first three video games this season. His absence will give the Steelers an opportunity to develop a extra well-rounded cross rush past counting on their two star edge rushers. Expanded alternatives for Herbig and Moon — plus an exploration of Wilson’s versatile blitzing means — may assist Pittsburgh in the long term, giving it extra choices to strain opposing quarterbacks later this season.
