Steelers gain one starter but may lose two more ahead of first-ever regular-season game in Ireland vs. Vikings
The Steelers will have DeShon Elliott at their disposal, but they could be without two offensive starters.
You can feel the festivities in the air. The Pittsburgh Steelers wrapped up their week of work on Friday, but it wasn’t on the southside of sandwich town. It was in Ireland, as the team prepares for the first-ever game in the land of green.
The Minnesota Vikings will be looking to give the Steelers a taste of their own medicine, but they will be without one of their best defenders, Andrew Van Ginkel. The Steelers will be similarly shorthanded as their starting outside LB, Alex Highsmith, was ruled out early in the week.
But what about DeShon Elliott and Joey Porter Jr.? Elliott seems ready to go, while Porter Jr. is questionable with his lingering hamstring injury. The issue is, Jonnu Smith and Jaylen Warren are now also questionable.
Steelers final injury report, Week 4, Friday
“Alex Highsmith is out this week with his ankle. DeShon Elliot and Joey Porter certainly have a chance,” said Tomlin on Tuesday. “I just saw DeShon working out just a few minutes ago. We’ll work those guys this week, and let the amount of their participation and the quality of their participation be our guide in terms of their participation in games.”
“We were in a similar situation last week with Derrick Harmon, for example, he was deemed healthy enough to play,’ added Tomlin. “We got him in uniform, but we were certainly cognizant of the number of snaps that he played, health and football readiness and conditioning at times can be a different be different things, and so we’ll watch those guys close and make appropriate decisions at the latter part of the week.”
It is certainly concerning to see the Steelers’ top back and co-starting TE head into the game with questionable tags. Both Warren and Smith were unable to log anything more than a limited participation level, all week.
For an offense that has regressed the last two weeks, losing two playmakers is the last thing Pittsburgh can afford on that side of the ball.
Defensively, things are looking a little better.
The return of DeShon Elliott shouldn’t be taken lightly. He was the team’s second leading tackler in 2024 and the run defense has been like water through a sieve in his absence. If Joey Porter Jr. can go alongside him, the Steelers’ secondary should finally be at full strength.
Facing a team that almost dropped 50 on division rival Cincy, the Steelers are going to need all of their stars.
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