Steelers injury report: Russell Wilson, pass rush, running game concerns for Week 6

During Tuesday’s media availability, head coach Mike Tomlin referred to the Steelers’ injury report as a “laundry list.” The consequential injuries Pittsburgh will be forced to scheme around are endless.

The offensive line has already been down a litany of bodies, but Russell Wilson, Nate Herbig, Alex Highsmith, Jaylen Warren, and Cordarrelle Patterson are just the headliners on a growing list of the wounded. The aforementioned players are expected to return this season, but “eventually” doesn’t help the Steelers during a critical stretch in their season.

Here’s how the Steelers will be forced to wade their way through a shallow depth chart at key positions.

Is Russell Wilson ready yet?

The Steelers can worry about whether Wilson or Justin Fields is the starter for the rest of 2024. The short-term goal for Wilson is active gameday status. Waiting for Wilson’s calf to finally be rehabilitated enough that he can stop cosplaying as a quarterback on game days and actually appear as one is akin to driving cross-country with adolescents in the backseat.

At some point, the stream of “Are we there yet?” and bathroom breaks become more exhausting than the act of driving itself. Reports of Wilson’s rehab have been monotonous. Each update is conservatively worded to avoid creating false hope while also sewing concern.  The most recent pre-SNF update was that he was still sprinting on antigravity treadmills over the weekend.

Tomlin once again confirmed that Fields will remain the starter until they’re comfortable with Wilson’s recovery. However, Wilson will be a full participant in Wednesday's practice. Wilson's status trending in a positive direction is the rare ray of sunshine amid a gloomy period in Pittsburgh.

Where will the Steelers get a pass rush from?

Pittsburgh’s defense is predicated on getting to the quarterback and pressuring them into making mistakes. However, a string of injuries has left them resorting to practice squad bodies and an assortment of backups.

Alex Highsmith is still listed as doubtful for the third week since pulling his groin during a win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3. His continued absence is even more concerning because his replacement Nick Herbig is also likely out.  

Nate Herbig’s emergence as the Steelers most promising pass rusher not named TJ Watt hit a snag on Sunday night. For the second consecutive week, Herbig left a contest, but this time he remained out. He returned in Week 4 against the Colts and recorded a late, drive-ending sack of Joe Flacco in the fourth quarter, which helped set up a final drive for the offense. However, the hamstring injury he limped off the field with on Sunday night is of the more serious variety. Since Highsmith’s injury, Herbig has relentlessly showcased his penchant for hurrying into backfields and detonating all over quarterbacks. However, with Herbig out of the lineup with a hamstring injury, which is the sort of injury that can linger for weeks, the Steelers are running out of edge rusher options. 

DeMarvin Leal’s injury puts the Steelers into a deeper hole at outside linebacker. After Leal’s injury against Dallas, he was replaced by Jeremiah Moon, who was just activated off injured reserve. Leal’s injury leaves the Steelers scraping the bottom of the barrel for bodies who can get after the quarterback. It’s bad enough that Highsmith and Herbig will be bystanders for the foreseeable future, but the downwind effect is that opposing teams can shift their protection schemes further to focus on TJ Watt. Watt has been chipped at the highest rate in the league, opponents have held him and avoided calls and he’s being double-teamed to restrict him more than ever. 

On Tuesday, Tomlin shut down the possibility of inside linebacker Payton Wilson assuming some edge rusher duties due to his experience in the role at NC State in 2023, however, Tomlin shut that down. If the Steelers are going to pressure Garnder Minshew, Watt will have to lead the charge. 

Will a healthy Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson revive the Steelers' ground game in Week 6?

The Steelers were held to a season-low in rushing yardage on Sunday, which was surprising considering how poorly Dallas defended the run until that night. The same was true a week earlier when Harris was the Steelers’ least effective runner against a Colts defense that defended the run with the intensity of a NyQuil user.

A healthy Warren and Patterson are arguably more essential than the struggling Harris, who’s averaging a mere 3.4 yards per carry. However, Patterson and Warren are doubtful for Week 6 according to Tomlin. Their combined absences put the Steelers in an unenviable position of hobbling into a matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders hoping Justin Field can carry them with his arms and legs.