Steelers Gameday Steelers News
Alex Highsmith Out for Steelers vs. Bengals
Alex Highsmith and Scotty Miller lead the Pittsburgh Steelers four inactives against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday.
CINCINNATI — Star outside linebacker Alex Highsmith will miss his third straight game for the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Highsmith, who is returning from a low left ankle sprain, was limited in practice on both Thursday and Friday this week and was considered doubtful to play. Nick Herbig will make his fifth career start in his place at right outside linebacker.
Wide receiver Scotty Miller, offensive lineman Max Scharping and running back Jonathan Ward are the other three inactive players for the Steelers against the Bengals. Kyle Allen is the emergency quarterback.
Highsmith first suffered the injury late in the Steelers’ Week 10 win over the Washington Commanders, when he stepped awkwardly on the foot of Commanders quarterbacks Jayden Daniels, spraining his ankle. He was quickly ruled out of the Steelers’ Week 11 and 12 games against the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. There was hope that he would be able to return for the Bengals game, but that turned out not to be the case. He will likely be back for the Steelers’ Week 14 home game against the Browns.
Herbig also started in place of Highsmith against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4 and the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5, in addition to the last two weeks. In his four starts, he has 1.5 sacks, 11 tackles, one tackle for loss, four quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Preston Smith will serve as the team’s third outside linebacker, and Jeremiah Moon will be the fourth. Moon has played just five snaps over the last two games, with Herbig, Smith and T.J. Watt taking the lion’s share of the reps.
The rest of the Steelers’ inactives are healthy scratches. Ward has played in four games this season while bouncing between the active roster and the practice squad. The Steelers have three running backs dressed: Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson.
Scharping has been dressed for just one game this season as a reserve interior offensive lineman. Calvin Anderson, Spencer Anderson and Ryan McCollum are all dressed as backup offensive linemen.
Miller has played in nine games this season, and was among six wide receivers dressed last week against the Baltimore Ravens. He was scratched this week as the Steelers dressed tight end MyCole Pruitt, who missed last week’s game with an injury. George Pickens, Mike Williams, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III and Ben Skowronek are the five receivers dressed.
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