PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith suffered a groin injury late in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers and will not return.
Highsmith was slow to get up on one play earlier. He went into the blue medical tent and went into the locker room early before halftime. Highsmith has dealt with a few groin injuries over the last couple of years.
Highsmith is the third injury from Sunday’s game, joining cornerback Cory Trice and wide receiver Van Jefferson. Trice is also out for the rest of the game.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is dealing with a high ankle sprain, but it hasn’t hindered his performance so far. The Steelers recorded no sacks on Herbert in the first half. He also completed 12 of 16 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. The Chargers lead 10-7 at halftime.
With Highsmith out, Nick Herbig will fill in at the right outside linebacker spot. Herbig tied the NFL lead in sacks this preseason, recording 3.5 over three games.
In addition to the sacks, Herbig finished with seven total tackles, three tackles for loss, four quarterback hits and a forced fumble.
The Steelers finished tied for first in the NFL with 3.67 sacks per game. They and the New England Patriots had 11 total sacks over three games. The Bears had 12 sacks over four games.
Herbig also had 3.5 sacks last preseason, finishing one-half of a sack behind last year’s co-leaders Niko Lalos and Caleb Murphy. The second-year Wisconsin product went on to record three sacks over 17 games in his rookie year last regular season.
Alan Saunders contributed reporting from Pittsburgh.