T.J. Watt Injured Before Steelers’ Paris Game

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most injured teams in the NFL currently, and their bad luck continues.

As the Steelers prepare to board their flight for Paris, France, the team got one final practice in before departing from Pittsburgh. Already down several key players, the Steelers cannot afford to lose another impact player.

Which made superstar edge rusher T.J. Watt’s sudden appearance on the Injury Report quite the concerning update. The top-paid defender missed a previous practice due to rest, but the latest report from the organization classified him as a limited participant due to a calf injury. The team did not include any type of game designation for Watt, although they did rule out wide receiver Ben Skowronek and cornerback Brandin Echols for their Week 7 matchup a day early.

The Steelers also placed defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day on the Reserved/Injured List.

What This Means for Steelers

This is now the second star edge rusher to appear on the injury report this week. The team’s other starter, Alex Highsmith, popped up on the Injury Report with a groin injury. The injury reduced him to a limited participant in practice ahead of their international contest.

Now, Watt is working through his own ailment. It’s good news that the organization hasn’t ruled him out, but how healthy he is entering Week 7 is under serious question.

This update could push Nick Herbig into even more snaps against the New Orleans Saints in Week 7. Herbig was already in line for more playing time due to Highsmith’s groin issue, and now that will be compounded by the team managing Watt’s new injury.

Herbig had an excellent Week 6, which came at the perfect time for him and the defense. After posting 2.0 sacks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Steelers will be counting on him to be an impact player once again in Week 7.

Steelers Hopeful This is Minor

The Steelers are keeping their fingers crossed when it comes to this update. The defense has put up with multiple injuries already and various degrees of underachievement.

At outside linebacker, they’ve had someone playing well each week. Even if Watt was held off the stat sheet, Highsmith had an explosive performance. Last week, Herbig gave them that spark on the edge.

The key to that is options and a rotation. Balancing all three of their premier pass rushers has helped this team reach a 4-2 record, and they need it in place to keep stacking wins.