Steelers can feel a lot better about not having rookie first-rounder available for Week 1 following latest Jets news
Makes things a lot easier.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for a heavy rushing attack from the New York Jets on Sunday. Headed by a backfield duo of Braelon Allen and Breece Hall, and then armed with one of the best running QBs in the league via Justin Fields, the Steelers are going to have their hands full.
That’s especially the case for the defensive line, which will be without rookie Derrick Harmon. The figurehead in a draft class that was brought together with the sole purpose of stopping the run, it’s a big omission for the Steelers’ front seven.
But everyone knows that you can have the best backs in the world and it won’t matter if you can’t block. And following another injury to Jets OL Alijah Vera-Tucker, the team’s best offensive lineman, the loss of Derrick Harmon may have just evened out.
Jets OL Alijah Vera-Tucker to miss significant time with arm injury
As first reported by Dianna Rusinni of The Athletic, Vera-Tucker suffered a significant injury that could put a good chunk of his 2025 season in jeopardy. That was backed up by Adam Schefter of ESPN, who said that Vera-Tucker is currently searching for a second opinion, and may have to have surgery to repair the injury.
It is a significant blow not only to the Jets’ OL but for Vera-Tucker. The 26-year-old is playing on his fifth-year option. The main reason he has yet to receive a long-term extension is because of his injury history.
One of the best players on the entire offense, Vera-Tucker was one of the main reasons that the Steelers and HC Mike Tomlin have been preparing for such a heavy ground attack come Sunday in New York.
“I think [Jets HC Aaron] Glenn has been very transparent about their desire to run the football and their commitment to doing so. And so that has our attention as we prepare,” said Mike Tomlin during his pregame presser on Tuesday. “You can’t talk about the running game, but I talked about Justin’s [Fields] physical abilities in that area and the challenges that he may present to us.”
We’ll see what those challenges look like without the Jets’ best offensive lineman on Sunday.
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