Six Pittsburgh Steelers players have been ruled out for the team’s Week 6 game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday.
The Steelers have ruled out free safety Damontae Kazee, outside linebackers Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig, defensive end DeMarvin Leal, tight end MyCole Pruitt and running back/kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson.
Highsmith will miss his third straight game after re-injuring his groin in the first half of the Steelers’ Week 3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Herbig replaced him in that game and against the Indianapolis Colts, but he suffered a serious hamstring injury in last Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Defensive end DeMarvin Leal, who has also played some outside linebacker this season, was also injured against the Cowboys, leaving the game with a type of a neck injury called a stinger.
That has left the Steelers incredibly thin at outside linebacker. Jeremiah Moon, who made his Steelers debut on Sunday after missing the first four weeks with a preseason ankle injury, is expected to start opposite T.J. Watt.
For depth, the Steelers have just two players on their practice squad, former Notre Dame and Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Ade Ogundeji and former Northwestern, Auburn and Carolina Panthers outside linebacker Eku Leota.
At running back, Patterson will miss his second straight game with an ankle injury suffered in the Week 4 loss to the Colts. Jaylen Warren, who has been out since the Chargers game with a knee sprain, is questionable to return. Aaron Shampklin made his NFL debut against the Colts, and Jonathan Ward was also called up from the practice squad last week against the Cowboys. If Warren cannot play, Ward will likely be elevated once again.
Pruitt has been out since suffered his right knee injury during the Steelers’ Week 2 win over the Denver Broncos. He was a limited participant in practice all week leading up to this game, but will be held out for one more week. Rodney Williams II has been replacing Pruitt in the lineup since his injury. Starting tight end Pat Freiermuth suffered a calf injury mid-week, but has no injury designation and is expected to play.
Kazee suffered an ankle injury when he stepped on football in pregame warmups before the Cowboys game. He was able to finish that contest, but his ankle has since swelled up and will prevent him from playing this week. It’s unclear who will replace Kazee as the third safety in the Steelers’ Heavy Nickel and Dime packages, though Terrell Edmunds is the most likely candidate.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS INJURY REPORT
| Player | Injury | Date | Prognosis | Roster Status |
| TE Pat Freiermuth | Calf | Oct. 10 | Healthy | Active, FP on Fri. |
| FS Damontae Kazee | Ankle | Oct. 6 | Week to week | OUT at LV, DNP on Fri. |
| DE DeMarvin Leal | Neck/stinger | Oct. 6 | Week to week | OUT at LV, DNP on Fri. |
| OLB Nick Herbig | Right hamstring | Oct. 6 | Week to week | OUT at LV, DNP on Fri. |
| RB Cordarrelle Patterson | Ankle | Sept. 29 | Week to week | OUT at LV, DNP on Fri. |
| RG James Daniels | Achilles | Sept. 29 | Out for season | Injured reserve |
| RB Jaylen Warren | Left PCL sprain | Sept. 22 | Day to day | QUES at LV, FP on Fri. |
| OLB Alex Highsmith | Groin | Sept. 22 | One week | OUT at LV, LP on Fri. |
| CB Cory Trice Jr. | Hamstring | Sept. 22 | Two weeks | Injured reserve |
| RT Troy Fautanu | Right knee dislocation | Sept. 20 | Regular season | Injured reserve |
| TE MyCole Pruitt | Right knee | Sept. 15 | Day to day | OUT at LV, LP on Fri. |
| WR Ben Skowronek | Shoulder | Sept. 15 | One weeks | Injured reserve |
| LB Tyler Matakevich | Hamstring | Sept. 15 | One weeks | Injured reserve |
| P Cameron Johnston | Right leg | Sept. 8 | Out for season | Injured reserve |
| QB Russell Wilson | Calf tightness | Sept. 5 | Healthy | Active, FP on Thurs. |
| SS Ryan Watts | Neck/stinger | Aug. 24 | Out for season | Injured reserve |
| DL Logan Lee | Calf | Aug. 20 | Week to week | Injured reserve |
| OT Dylan Cook | Lisfranc, left foot | Aug. 17 | Week to week | IR-Return |
| C Nate Herbig | Torn rotator cuff | Aug. 14 | Out for season | Injured reserve |
| OLB David Perales | Left MCL tear | July 31 | Out for season | Injured reserve |
| ILB Cole Holcomb | Left knee | Nov. 2, 2023 | Week to week | PUP/reserve |
