PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Coming into the season it was a position where the Steelers could line up with any team in the league. Who wouldn’t want the Steelers outside linebacker situation with former Defensive Player of the Year TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig.
Sunday in Las Vegas only Watt will play, even the versatile DeMarvin Leal is out.
“We're going to be shorthanded, in the sense of guys that haven't played for
us here, but we've got a couple of the young guys that will possibly be available to us,” said Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.
This team could have looked at veterans sitting at home, they’ve done that before, even recently with Markus Golden in training camp before he returned home. They could have picked a player off another team’s practice squad and added them to the active roster. They didn’t do that either. The last one for a couple of reasons-no one caught their eye, they think a couple of their players won’t be out long and they believe they can work with what they have.
As for players you are likely to see.
Jeremiah Moon (6’5”, 247 pounds, 26-years-old)
· NFL experience-8 games with Baltimore in 2023-2 forced fumbles, 12 tackles, one start
He just returned from an ankle injury to play a few snaps last week. Now a shot to show he can play in the league with the Steelers or someone else.
“It’s an opportunity every day,” Moon said. “It does suck-Nick, Leal, Alex, you never want to see that happen. I come in and put my head down and work. Do everything you got to do to seize the moment.”
“I think I can bring a lot of qualities. I can play on special teams, defense, set the edge, rush the passer.
It’s all about knowing what to do, having confidence to do it and then executing.”
Ade Ogundeji (6’4”, 268 pounds, 26-years-old)
· NFL experience-3 seasons in Atlanta, missed last year due to injury, 32 games (27 starts), 3 sacks, 8 TFL, 75 tackles, 3 QB hits, pass defended, fumble recovery
“They expect me to go out there and do my job,” Ogundeji said. “I’m not going to try and do anything crazy or go out of my way. I’m just going to do my job. If they ask me to rush the passer, I’m going to rush the passer. If they ask me to stop the run, I’m going to stop the run. Whatever they ask me to do, I’m going to do it.”
“I feel like I’ve learned most of the playbook. I’ve been here since the first day of the season. I’ve learned each and every week and getting ready like I’m going to go out there and play.”
Ogundeji said Tomlin tells them the practice squad is there for a reason.
“I just want to go out and play.”
“It’s just, do your job,” Watt said. “That’s what I try to tell them, do you 1/11th, don’t try to do too much. Just like we talk about each and every week here. This defense, the plays are going to be there to be made. Don’t try to two-gap when you are supported to be one-gapping. Don’t try to shoot stuff when you are not supposed to and the plays will fall in your lap. It’s just about seizing the opportunity when it comes your way.”
“It’s hard to replace guys that are that special,” said defensive captain Cam Heyward. “It will be done by committee and TJ. We know they are going to single in on TJ, but we have faith in our younger guys.”
Heyward said Watt can’t go out there on Sunday and try and be Superman. Watt agrees with that statement. He said if he does that he puts the others in jeopardy. Him being out of position would likely create a domino effect that would make it worse for an already stretched defense. He said they need to trust the new guys will do their jobs.
“Those guys have played NFL football before, and they're here just for that reason so that, if we do get banged up, we can bring them up and we can play, and they'll give us a good day's work,” Austin said.
It’s Week 6 and Steelers depth is being tested at a couple positions. Can they hold up Sunday?