The Pittsburgh Steelers have been bitten pretty severely by the injury bug early on in the 2024 season. The offensive line has been ripped apart, as both James Daniels and Troy Fautanu are expected to miss the rest of the season. Other areas that are weak thanks to injury include running back, cornerback, and outside linebacker. Perhaps the biggest injury on the season so far came in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers when Alex Highsmith couldn't finish the game due to a groin injury.
Highsmith lives in the shadows of TJ Watt in the eyes of the national media, but every Pittsburgh fan knows just how important the outside linebacker is. He earned himself a new deal ahead of the 2023 season, and he is a big reason for the continued success of the Steelers' defense. Highsmith avoided Injured Reserve, but will still miss a chunk of games.
According to insider Mark Kaboly, the Steelers are planning for Highsmith to return for a contest against the New York Jets in Week 7. It was already known that Highsmith would be missing Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys, but now it is known he will also be missing the Week 6 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Highsmith doesn't show up on the stat sheet as much as Watt, but he is a big reason Watt is able to produce as much as he does. Highsmith is a high-level edge rusher in the NFL, and having two top-tier linebackers coming at you off the edge on every drop back can force a quarterback into making some mistakes. Highsmith was certainly missed during Pittsburgh's loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4.
During his absence, Highsmith has been replaced by Nick Herbig. He came in for Highsmith against the Chargers and managed to rack up two sacks, one of which was a strip-sack. He has built up a lot of momentum for himself thanks to his impressive preseason performances, and his two-sack game against Los Angeles. The second-year player was relatively quiet against the Colts, as he recorded just two tackles while exiting the game for a short stint thanks to an ankle injury.
Herbig is more than capable of filling in for Highsmith, but the issue comes with the depth at the position. Herbig was the primary backup for both Highsmith and Watt, and now he is forced into the starting lineup. Defensive end DeMarvin Leal was the third outside linebacker against the Colts, and Pittsburgh opened up the practice window for Jeremiah Moon - who may be making his Steelers debut Sunday night.
Steelers Need To Be Sure They Are Not Rushing Alex Highsmith Back
Highsmith's groin injury is a tricky injury to bounce back from. Soft tissue injuries often flare up and get worse if someone re-aggravates it by coming back too soon. It is seen all the time in the NFL where players will have nagging hamstring injuries that seem unstoppable. It's important Highsmith is back to 100 percent before he takes the field again.
As an edge rusher, Highsmith is rushing at full speed with a ton of power, while contorting his body at a bunch of different angles. He could easily be susceptible to a re-aggravation if he rushes to return. The outside linebacker is a player the Steelers can't live without when they take on their gauntlet in the second half of the season. He may want to rush back, but it's important the fifth-year player prioritizes his health for the long-term.
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