The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2024 season as one of the deepest rosters in the NFL. Their inept depth has been an issue in past years, but the front office did an outstanding job addressing their biggest weaknesses (beefing up the offensive line, adding linebacker help, safety depth, etc).
Unfortunately, this quality depth went out the window in the first month of the season as Pittsburgh was hammered with injuries. Alex Highsmith is the latest player who will be watching from the sidelines. Meanwhile, James Daniels becomes the third Steelers offensive lineman to suffer a season-ending injury this year.
As depleted as this team is, the Steelers somehow managed to catch a break against the Cowboys in Week 5.
During Dallas' Week 4 matchup against the Giants, the Cowboys lost both starting edge rushers Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence to injuries. Parsons is expected to miss the Week 5 game against the Steelers with a high ankle sprain, while Lawrence's foot injury was severe enough to land him on IR.
But the injury bug didn't satisfy it's bite with these two players.
Cowboys will be without starting WR vs. Steelers
In a turn of events nobody saw coming, the Dallas Cowboys will be without starting wide receiver Brandin Cooks when they suit up against the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium for Sunday Night Football.
This absence comes as a surprise after Cooks logged 46 snaps against the Giants in Week 4 (82 percent) and didn't appear to be bothered. Cooks popped up on the injury report on Thursday as a limited participant; however, he has already been ruled out due to an infection following a procedure on his knee.
Cooks hasn't been an efficient player this year. The veteran wide receiver caught just nine passes on 19 targets in his first four games and chipped in a mere 91 yards and a touchdown. Still, with a cluster of unproven and unsatisfying depth at the position, the loss of Cooks could sting against the Steelers.
The Cowboys will now be without Parsons, Lawrence, and Cooks in addition to playing without All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland. The Steelers can't underestimate the lethal combination of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, but Dallas' depth is beyond concerning, and the Brandin Cooks injury doesn't help.