Steelers Avoid Disaster With Star Pass Rusher Injury

PITTSBURGH — Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith was limited in practice on Friday with a groin injury, but the star pass rusher expects to play against the Baltimore Ravens. While he may not be 100 percent before the game, Highsmith will give it a go.

“Yes, I will be out there,” Highsmith said. “It’s a little tightness, but we’re being smart about it. But I’ll be out there.”

According to Highsmith, the injury popped up during practice, so he did go on Thursday. The team opted to give Highsmith treatment and rest for the injury. That tightness suddenly coming out of nowhere is not a good recipe for success, but Highsmith believes they have been cautious enough to where he can play.

“Yeah, it’s just something that popped up during practice,” Highsmith said. “You got to be smart with it and just feel it out this week. You know, it’s been a tough week and that’s why you want to be smart with it. We gave it this rest this week and thought it would be good for the game.”

That injury happened towards the end of the team’s padded practice on Wednesday. While the team did not show up with their physicality against the Texans, the injuries are the risks of having padded practices. Highsmith noted that he did far more on Friday than Thursday, and that’s why he believes he will suit up for the Steelers on Sunday.

“Today, I was just out there testing it,” Highsmith said. “Yesterday, I was getting a lot of mental reps and envisioning myself in there on every play. So yeah, I did more today but I’m feeling good.”

In his place, Markus Golden and Nick Herbig would step up if given the chance. Pittsburgh might be better suited to absorb the loss of Highsmith or T.J. Watt. Herbig confirmed to Steelers Now that without Highsmith out there on Thursday, he took most of the reps on the outside, setting up another rookie with a potentially significant role in this game.