When Alex Highsmith went down with a lower leg injury late in the Steelers' Week 10 game against the Commanders, fans feared the worst. Highsmith is an integral part of Pittsburgh's defense and one of the most consistent players on the team.
On November 12, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reported that it's a low ankle sprain for Highsmith and the talented edge rusher is expected to miss 'a couple weeks' due to the injury.
Alex Highsmith, who is in a walking boot, is expected to miss “a couple weeks” with a sprained ankle, per source.
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) November 12, 2024
Probably good news for an injury that looked worse on TV. In his absence, deadline addition Preston Smith will be one of the players trust into a larger role.
All things considered, this is the best-case scenario. Highsmith already missed a three-game stretch from Weeks 4-6 after suffering a groin injury in Pittsburgh's Week 3 win over the Chargers. Sadly, his latest injury will have him sidelined until late November.
There is good news in all of this.
Just hours before the NFL trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Steelers made an uncharacteristic proactive move to add depth and security to the edge rusher position by trading for Packers' EDGE Preston Smith. Nobody could argue with the cost of the trade (Pittsburgh gave up just a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft), but at the time, the move seemed a bit overkill.
Though Highsmith and Nick Herbig have dealt with injuries this season, the Steelers have arguably the best group of three edge rushers in the NFL. But general manager Omar Khan wasn't about to leave the fate of the team up to chance as the front office decided to add insurance to the engine that makes the defense run. We can all be glad they did.
Steelers get elite insurance policy to their defense in the nick of time
Nick Herbig is on track to return in Week 11, which is a great sign for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But once again, the Steelers would have deployed just two edge rushers they can count on. Highsmith and Herbig have combined to miss seven games this season.
It feels like the Steelers have simply been swapping a healthy Highsmith for a healthy Herbig this season. And with only one capable rusher working opposite T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh's best player has hardly been able to catch his breath while drawing all of the attention.
In steps Preston Smith, who started all nine games for the Packers before being dealt to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline. In his first game with the Steelers in Week 10, Smith recorded three tackles, two tackles for a loss, and a sack. He also made a critical third-down stop late in the fourth quarter.
While Smith isn't the same caliber pass rusher as Highsmith and Herbig at this stage of his career, the 31-year-old defender has been around a long time and awareness was evident in the Week 10 win. What Smith brings to the table is stout run defense, an array of pass-rush moves, and stability to the position.
Eventually, the Steelers hope to be four deep at the edge rusher position late in the season and for the playoffs. Ultimately, that's what is going to matter most. But with all the injuries Pittsburgh has had at the position, the Preston Smith trade looks even more like a genius move.