Steelers Get More Good News on Rookie’s Injury
PITTSBURGH — With each passing day the injury news regarding Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Derrick Harmon continues to improve. After tweaking a knee in the Steelers' preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers, the panic and worry instantly skyrocketed. Would the team's first-round pick once again be sidelined by a preseason injury?
According to Steelers insider, Gerry Dulac, the latest update regarding Derrick Harmon is another positive step while the defensive tackle deals with a mild knee sprain. The team has described the injury as moderate, but not severe or long-term. Futhermore, the rookie will not be heading to injured reserve to begin the season.
Dulac shared via his X account that due to the short-term nature of the sprain Harmon is dealing with, the team does not feel it is necessary to place him on IR and cause him to miss the first four weeks of the season. There's also hope that he could miss as few as one game, which would force him out for just the opening week contest against the New York Jets.
”Steelers have no intention of putting Harmon on IR,” he wrote. “And think it’s possible he will miss only one game.”
It's another step in the right direction for Harmon, who avoided catastrophe in the preseason finale against the Panthers. It was a routine pass rushing play, but as he tried to get the edge on the offensive linemen matched up against him, it was obvious that something tweaked in his knee. Thankfully, he was able to exit under his own power and he was never fully taken off the field, but rather evaluated by Steelers medical personnel on the sidelines.
If Harmon does only miss one week that would put him an excellent position to continue on the trajectory he's been on since arriving at training camp earlier this summer. It took all of one week of practices for the Steelers to name him one of the starters along the defensive line and his impact both at practice and in preseason contests against other competition has illustrated clearly that Harmon is not only a strong first round pick, but a starting defensive player in the NFL already.
Without Harmon available this will put added pressure on starters like Cam Hayward as he deals with his own contractual negotiation efforts with the Steelers, as well as third year defensive tackle, Keeanu Benton. Benton is on track to have another strong season and without Harmon taking away potential reps over the next couple of weeks, Benton can reestablish himself as one of the premier interior defensive lineman in the AFC. Supporting them will be players like Isaiahh Loudermilk, Daniel Ekuale and whoever the final member of the 53-man roster is.
It should also mean a significant increase in snaps and practice time for fifth round pick Yahya Black. Along with Harmon, Black has been a standout along the defensive line in training camp and the preseason. His performance has given the Steelers all the more confidence that their recent draft class is going to be a very successful one. It will look even better once Harmon is ready and back in action.
