Updated: Safety Damontae Kazee has been downgraded to questionable. Defensive tackle Montravius Adams has been upgraded and has no injury designation.
The Steelers wrapped up their preparation for Sunday night's game against the New York Jets, and as was anticipated all week, center Zach Frazier and linebacker Nick Herbig have been ruled out, along with running back Cordarrelle Patterson. In addition, receiver Roman Wilson and defensive tackle Montravius Adams are questionable.
There is good news, though. Linebacker Alex Highsmith doesn't have an injury designation this week.
Having Highsmith back will be a huge boost for the defense.
"When you have another quality rusher, they have to account for both of them," said defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. "Those guys face that all the time.
"I don't think it affects T.J. (Watt) because they're always going to be doing things to take care of him, and now that gives Alex some opportunities. If it does, it keeps an extra guy in the protection. That helps us in terms of not having so many guys out.
"So, we'll see how they approach the game. We'll see how much Alex is ready to do and if he's ready to do it."
Highsmith has missed three games with a groin injury, something that has been tough for him as he isn't accustomed to missing that much time.
"It feels great. I'm just excited to get back out there this week," said Highsmith. "I'm feeling really good. The past few days in practice I was in good form. I'm just excited and ready to get back out there.
"It's been too long. First time in my career that I've missed a couple of games, so I'm not used to that. To get back out there with the guys, it's going to be an awesome feeling, especially primetime, Sunday Night, can't be better.
"I knew I couldn't rush it. I definitely don't want it to linger at all. And when I come back, I want to make sure it's 100% and I feel like it's there right now. I had to be smart with it because I don't want it to be something that is lingering throughout the rest of the season.
"I feel like it's in a really good place right now, so I'm ready to roll."
Watt is happy to have Highsmith back in the fold.
"He's had a great week of practice," said Watt before the injury report came out. "To get a vet like that back, I know he's eager to get back and just be able to balance out the pass rush. Obviously, he's also a phenomenal run defender, so if we can get him back, that would be great."
Jeremiah Moon will still be called upon to be part of the rotation at outside linebacker with Herbig out.
"Last week, coming in, the standard is the standard," said Highsmith. "I think those guys came in, provided some energy for us. Moon not only on defense, but a huge impact in the special teams game with that block.
"He has been in the league for a few years now. He knows what he is doing. To have a guy like that come in and be able to get some productive plays for us is huge."
With Frazier out, it will be Ryan McCollum who will make his second NFL start, his first with the Steelers.
"He's been good," said running back Najee Harris of McCollum. "He's very, very smart. His IQ of the games is very big. So, we weren't really tripping off of that because of his experience, just knowing his IQ of the game, making calls, doing things like that, the protection slides and whatnot that other people don't see. I think he does a good job of that.
"We're all excited for him, too. It's the next man up mentality. We all got to be ready for the next man to be up."
Tackle Dan Moore Jr. has nothing but confidence in what McCollum will do with his opportunity.
"It's the work that he's put in," said Moore. "I think he's earned the right to get his opportunity. I think he'll run with it for sure.
"He's done a great job during team development. Every time he gets in there, getting everybody on track. He's a really good leader. He's actually a vocal guy. I thought Ryan did a tremendous job playing, just leading the way."
McCollum spent the last two seasons on the Steelers practice squad, after being claimed off waivers from the Detroit Lions, where he played in 13 games, starting one. This week, McCollum will make his first start in a Steelers uniform.
"I'm very excited," said McCollum. "I've kind of been waiting for it. I've been preparing for it for the past four years of my career, so just excited to showcase my talents."
McCollum, who stepped in last week against the Raiders when Frazier was injured, approaches every week as if he is the starter, but this week he is getting the reps to match the mental approach.
"All the walk throughs, the reps and all the different looks I will be getting," said McCollum. "When I am not getting them, I just stand in the back and take mental reps because that's all the reps I'm going to get as a backup. But you've got to be ready to go because there can't be a dip whenever you go in."
When he went in against the Raiders, there definitely wasn't a dip. It was a seamless transition, due in large part to that preparation.
"I've always looked at it as just you've got to prepare like you're the starter and then if you don't play, that's a good thing because nobody got hurt," said McCollum. "But at the same time, you don't want to look like a donkey out there if you didn't prepare and then you've got to go out there and play."
The full injury report is below.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Participation/Injury Report, Week 7
Game Status
No. 10 Roman Wilson (Hamstring) - Questionable
No 23 Damontae Kazee (Ankle) - Questionable
No. 51 LB Nick Herbig - Out
No. 54 C Zach Frazier (Ankle) - Out
**No. 60 OT Dylan Cook (Foot) - Out
No. 84 RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson (Ankle) - Out
Friday, October 18
No. 10 Roman Wilson (Hamstring) - Limited
No. 22 RB Najee Harris (Ribs) - Full
No. 23 S Damontae Kazee (Ankle) - Full
No. 51 LB Nick Herbig (Hamstring) - DNP
No. 54 C Zach Frazier (Ankle) - DNP
No. 56 LB Alex Highsmith (Groin) - Full
No. 57 DT Montravius Adams (Knee) - Limited
**No. 60 OT Dylan Cook (Foot) - Full
No. 73 G Isaac Seumalo (NIR - Resting) - Full
No 81 TE MyCole Pruitt (Knee) - Full
No. 84 RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson (Ankle) - DNP
No. 90 LB T.J. Watt (NIR - Resting) - Full
No. 97 DT Cameron Heyward (NIR - Resting) - Full
No. 99 DT Larry Ogunjobi (NIR - Resting) - Full
** in the designated 21-day window to return from Injured Reserve
Thursday, October 17
No. 10 Roman Wilson (Hamstring) - Limited
No. 22 RB Najee Harris (Ribs) - Full
No. 23 S Damontae Kazee (Ankle) - Limited
No. 51 LB Nick Herbig (Hamstring) - DNP
No. 54 C Zach Frazier (Ankle) - DNP
No. 56 LB Alex Highsmith (Groin) - Full
**No. 60 OT Dylan Cook (Foot) - Limited
No. 73 G Isaac Seumalo (NIR - Resting) - Full
No 81 TE MyCole Pruitt (Knee) - Full
No. 84 RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson (Ankle) - DNP
No. 90 LB T.J. Watt (NIR - Resting) - Full
No. 97 DT Cameron Heyward (NIR - Resting) - DNP
No. 99 DT Larry Ogunjobi (NIR - Resting) - Limited
** in the designated 21-day window to return from Injured Reserve
Wednesday, October 16
No. 22 RB Najee Harris (Ribs) - DNP
No. 23 S Damontae Kazee (Ankle) - DNP
No. 51 LB Nick Herbig (Hamstring) - DNP
No. 54 C Zach Frazier (Ankle) - DNP
No. 56 LB Alex Highsmith (Groin) - Limited
No. 73 G Isaac Seumalo (NIR - Resting) - DNP
No 81 TE MyCole Pruitt (Knee) - Full
No. 84 RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson (Ankle) - DNP
No. 90 LB T.J. Watt (NIR - Resting) - DNP
No. 97 DT Cameron Heyward (NIR - Resting) - DNP
No. 99 DT Larry Ogunjobi (NIR - Resting) - DNP
New York Jets Participation/Injury Report, Week 7
Game Status
No. 30 CB Michael Carter II (Back) - Out
No. 83 TE Tyler Conklin (Hip) - Questionable
No. 4 CB D.J. Reed (Groin) - Questionable
No. 55 LB Chaz Surratt (Heel) - Questionable
Friday, October 18
No. 30 CB Michael Carter II (Back) - DNP
No. 4 CB D.J. Reed (Groin) - DNP
No. 8 QB Aaron Rodgers (Ankle) - Full
No. 18 WR Mike Williams (NIR - Personal) - Full
No. 83 TE Tyler Conklin (Hip) - Full
No. 99 EDGE Will McDonald IV (Shoulder) - Full
No. 78 OL Morgan Moses (Knee) - Full
No. 77 Tyron Smith (NIR/Vet. Rest) - Full
No. 55 LB Chaz Surratt (Heel) - Full
No. 17 WR Davante Adams (Hamstring) - Full
Thursday, October 17
No. 30 CB Michael Carter II (Back) - DNP
No. 4 CB D.J. Reed (Groin) - DNP
No. 8 QB Aaron Rodgers (Ankle) - Full
No. 18 WR Mike Williams (NIR - Personal) - DNP
No. 83 TE Tyler Conklin (Hip) - Limited
No. 99 EDGE Will McDonald IV (Shoulder) - Limited
No. 78 OL Morgan Moses (Knee) - Limited
No. 77 Tyron Smith (NIR/Vet. Rest) - Limited
No. 55 LB Chaz Surratt (Heel) - Full
No. 17 WR Davante Adams (Hamstring) - Full
Wednesday, October 16**
No. 30 CB Michael Carter II (Back) - DNP
No. 4 CB D.J. Reed (Groin) - DNP
No. 8 QB Aaron Rodgers (Ankle) - DNP
No. 18 WR Mike Williams (NIR - Personal) - DNP
No. 83 TE Tyler Conklin (Hip) - Limited
No. 99 EDGE Will McDonald IV (Shoulder) - Limited
No. 78 OL Morgan Moses (Knee) - Limited
No. 77 Tyron Smith (NIR/Vet. Rest) - Limited
No. 55 LB Chaz Surratt (Heel) - Limited
No. 17 WR Davante Adams (Hamstring) - Full
The New York Jets conducted a walkthrough on Wednesday. Wednesday's practice participation is an estimation.**
