If the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to defeat the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5, they will have to do it without running back Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson.
Steelers insider Mark Kaboly reported on October 4 that both backup running backs will miss the team’s matchup with their long-time NFC rival. Multiple other local and national NFL reporters tweeted the identical news at nearly the same time.
Warren has been dealing with a knee injury since the end of the Week 3 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers. He didn’t dress against the Indianapolis Colts during Week 4.
Patterson left that showdown with the Colts because of an ankle injury.
That leaves Najee Harris and Aaron Shampklin as the only running backs from Pittsburgh’s active roster that will be dressed for Week 5. The Steelers will host the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.
Jaylen Warren, Cordarrelle Patterson Ruled Out for Week 5
Although the Steelers will still have their starting running back in Harris, losing both Warren and Patterson is a significant blow.
Warren averaged 5.3 yards per carry and had 61 receptions last season. His 1,154 yards from scrimmage was just 4 yards shy of No. 1 wideout George Pickens in 2023. The only other Steelers playmaker with more yards from scrimmage than Warren last year was Harris.
Not having Patterson impacts both the offense and special teams. Replacing Warren on offense during the first half versus the Colts, Patterson ran for 43 yards on just 6 carries. That was good enough for a 7.2 yards per attempt average.
He has also returned kickoffs for the Steelers this season.
Without both running backs, Harris will need to take on the bulk of all the responsibilities in Pittsburgh’s backfield. That’s not a role he isn’t accustomed to.
As a rookie three years ago, Harris played about 84% of Pittsburgh’s offensive snaps over the entire season. He was on the field for every offensive snap for the team in two different games during 2021.
Harris might need to play that much, or close to it, versus the Cowboys.
The Steelers signed Shampklin to their active roster on October 2. That gives the team another running back option other than Harris.
But Shampklin has played just one game in his NFL career, and that was versus the Colts on September 29. He lined up for 13 offensive snaps and had 1 carry for 5 yards.
The Steelers also have a couple running back options on their practice squad. Both veterans La’Mical Perine and Jonathan Ward are candidates to be practice squad elevations for Pittsburgh in Week 5.
Edge Rusher Alex Highsmith Set to Miss Week 5
While the Steelers offense will deal with a lack of depth in the backfield versus the Cowboys, the Pittsburgh defense will be without its No. 2 edge rusher.
TribLive.com’s Joe Rutter reported Alex Highsmith will not dress in Week 5. Rutter added that tight end MyCole Pruitt will also not play.
Highsmith will miss his second consecutive game since leaving Week 3 with a groin injury. Without him against the Colts, the Steelers defense generated very little pass rush against athletic signal caller Anthony Richardson.
It was more of the same against veteran Joe Flacco.
Nick Herbig replaced Highsmith in the starting lineup in Week 4, but he’s also on the injury report heading into the Cowboys matchup. Herbig has been limited in practice because of an ankle injury.
The biggest positive on Pittsburgh’s Week 5 injury report was veteran left guard Isaac Seumalo. He fully practiced and could make his season debut.
The Steelers and Cowboys will kick off at 8:20 pm ET at Acrisure Stadium.
