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Brooke Pryor, ESPN Staff Writer
PITTSBURGH — Steelers pass rusher Alex Highsmith is “fully expected to be back” this week for Sunday’s rematch with the Browns, coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday.
Highsmith neared a return last week, but he didn’t practice Wednesday and was limited Thursday and Friday before being inactive for Sunday’s game against the Bengals.
While Highsmith is expected to return, the Steelers could be without wide receiver Calvin Austin III, who entered the concussion protocol when he took a hard hit against the Bengals. Austin has touchdowns in each of the last two weeks, including a fourth-quarter snag in the Week 12 loss to the Browns.
Tomlin couldn’t hide his excitement about the prospect of having a healthy complement of outside linebackers for the first time in weeks.
“It’s pretty exciting, isn’t it?,” Tomlin said with a grin. “Let’s see where the roads lead, man, we got a week of prep. … I’m so excited about the potential of getting Alex Highsmith back and the development of [Nick] Herbig, the acclimation of Preston [Smith]. You can’t run out of rush men, particularly in December, and so it’s exciting.
“Make no mistake there’s enough work for all parties involved, and we’re excited about sorting that out as we prepare.”
Before his three-game absence, Highsmith was playing at a high level when healthy. Against the Giants in Week 8, Highsmith recorded a career-high 12 pressures and two sacks on 38 pass rushes, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
Sidelined for three weeks earlier in the season with a groin injury, Highsmith has 10 quarterback hits and three sacks in just six games.