The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense will be without several notable stars in Week 3 against the New England Patriots. The struggling unit will be without linebacker Alex Highsmith and cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who headline the team's inactives.
Pittsburgh ruled out Highsmith and Porter, along with safety DeShon Elliott, on Friday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported. They also list rookie defensive lineman Derrick Harmon, who has yet to make his debut, as questionable.
While Highsmith's setback hurts, the team can feel confident slotting Nick Herbig into the starting lineup. Herbig is arguably the team's brightest young star, racking up 5.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hits off the bench in 2024.
However, Porter and Elliott are significant losses to a secondary that is already struggling. Despite adding veterans Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay in the offseason, the Steelers have allowed 245 passing yards per game in their two outings, the eighth-most in the league. The defense is also ceding 9.3 yards per pass, the fourth-most.
Without Porter, Pittsburgh will likely move Ramsey into a full-time outside cornerback role. Ramsey has been moved around all over the secondary thus far, but he has spent the majority of his time in the slot.
Tomlin will have a bigger issue determining which player to start at Ramsey's traditional nickelback position. Rookie Donte Kent is listed as Ramsey's backup, but is currently on injured reserve. The team surprisingly released Beanie Bishop, who started most of the 2024 season in the slot, during final roster cuts.
Veterans Chuck Clark and Jabrill Peppers are the top contenders to replace Elliott as the starting safety. Peppers, a former Patriots captain, could be in line for a potential revenge game.
Steelers face Patriots without Alex Highsmith, Joey Porter Jr.
The Steelers' defensive struggles have shown up through two weeks, with the team allowing 31.5 points per game. Pittsburgh was favored to win both games and was able to narrowly edge out the New York Jets in Week 1 before its offense failed to keep up in Week 2.
On paper, the 1-1 New England Patriots do not seem to pose too much of a threat. However, the Patriots' offense surged in their Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins, a concerning factor for a struggling Steelers defense. Drake Maye threw for 230 passing yards and racked up three total touchdowns in the win.
Despite the mounting injury concerns, the Steelers are still closing as slight favorites to leave Gillette Stadium with a win.
