The Pittsburgh Steelers weren't able to escape the 2025 preseason without the injury bug biting. In the preseason finale, first-round rookie Derrick Harmon was carted into the locker room after sustaining what was later diagnosed as an MCL sprain.
Harmon will miss at least the opening game of the season against the New York Jets... and he might not be the only one.
In Pittsburgh's second preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, edge rusher Nick Herbig played just three snaps before sustaining a hamstring injury and was pulled from the game. At the time, Herbig had roughly three weeks to recover before the kickoff of the regular season. But that might not be enough.
On Monday, head coach Mike Tomlin spoke to the media and said that he's not sure yet if Herbig will be ready to go for Week 1, according to Nick Farabaugh of PennLive. Herbig missed practice to begin the week.
Though Herbig's hamstring injury doesn't sound serious, his questionable availability against the Jets is a troubling sign.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could be without Nick Herbig in Week 1 against the New York Jets
Typically, we wouldn't make a big deal over a non-starter potentially missing the opening game of the season. However, Nick Herbig is an electrifying spark off the bench, and if he can't go on September 7, the Pittsburgh Steelers will feel the ripple effect.
Herbig's potential absence means the Steelers could overwork edge rushers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith in their first game of 2025. In 2022, we saw Watt suffer a pectoral injury in the opening game that held him out of action until Week 10. Seeing Watt and Highsmith play too many snaps from the gate isn't what this team needs.
When the Steelers finally give their starters a break, the team may be forced to rely on fourth-round rookie Jack Sawyer, who had a quiet preseason apart from a few nice plays against the Carolina Panthers' backups.
Herbig, on the other hand, is already considered one of the best third edge rushers in the NFL, thanks to his incredible combination of explosiveness, dip, and pass rush moves. It was these traits that earned the Wisconsin product the fourth-best pass rush grade among all edge rushers in 2024—topping T.J. Watt and nearly matching Micah Parsons with a 91.5 PFF pass rush grade.
The last thing the Steelers should do is rush Nick Herbig back to the field before he's ready. If Herbig can't suit up for Week 1, his absence won't change the betting line, but with rookie defensive lineman Derrick Harmon already out, this could hurt their ability to bring consistent pressure on quarterback Justin Fields to the ground in the season opener.