The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting some reinforcements for Sunday’s Week 14 house matchup with the Cleveland Browns. Pittsburgh (9-3) could have two defenders again within the lineup who didn’t play when the Browns upset the Steelers two weeks in the past.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin mentioned Tuesday that he “absolutely expects” to have beginning outdoors linebacker Alex Highsmith for Sunday after he was sidelined the previous three video games with an ankle damage he suffered throughout Pittsburgh’s Week 10 win over Washington. On Wednesday, the Steelers bought one other defender again when they activated reserve cornerback Cory Trice off injured reserve. Trice hasn’t performed since he injured his hamstring in Pittsburgh’s Week 3 win over the Chargers.
Each gamers will assist Pittsburgh’s protection in several methods.
Alongside along with his impression as a starter, Highsmith’s return solely provides to Pittsburgh’s spectacular depth at outdoors linebacker that additionally contains T.J. Watt, Nick Herbig and Preston Smith, who was acquired simply earlier than the commerce deadline. In Sunday’s 44-38 win over the Bengals, the trio mixed to file three sacks, two pressured fumbles and a fumble restoration.
“It is fairly thrilling, is not it?” Tomlin mentioned when requested about Highsmith’s return and the depth of Pittsburgh’s outdoors linebacker corps, by way of the Tribune-Overview. “You possibly can’t run out of rush males, significantly in December,” Tomlin mentioned. “So it is thrilling. Make no mistake, there’s sufficient work for all events concerned and we’re enthusiastic about sorting that out as we put together.”
Trice, a 2023 seventh-round decide who missed his whole rookie season after getting injured in coaching camp, will add depth to a Pittsburgh secondary that just lately welcomed fellow cornerback Cameron Sutton again onto the fold a number of weeks in the past. Sutton, an eight-year veteran who’s sharing reps with rookie nickleback Beanie Bishop Jr., missed the season’s first eight video games whereas serving a league-mandated suspension.
Trice, 24, is a former standout at Purdue who recorded a decide six in his second-to-last sport with the Boilermakers. He made his first profession interception within the NFL off Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix in the course of the Steelers’ Week 2 win in Denver. Trice injured his hamstring every week later whereas on particular groups.
“I’ve all the time been getting ready like I used to be going to play week in and week out,” Trice mentioned just lately previous to being activated, by way of the crew’s web site. “Nonetheless the identical preparation, undoubtedly was thrilling mentally to get again to follow.
“Each time they name me, I’ve bought to be prepared. And I will be prepared for certain.”
Trice will get his likelihood on Sunday in opposition to a Browns crew that scored 24 factors in opposition to Pittsburgh two weeks in the past and 32 factors on this previous Monday night time’s loss in Denver. The Steelers will certainly be centered on containing Browns wideout Jerry Jeudy, who caught 9 passes for a whopping 253 yards and a rating on Monday night time in opposition to his former crew.
