Two former first-round draft picks — one on each side of the line — won’t be available for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday when they play the Buffalo Bills at Acrisure Stadium.

Left tackle Broderick Jones will miss the game with a neck injury, and defensive tackle Derrick Harmon will sit with a knee injury. Both were hurt during the Steelers’ 31-28 loss to the Chicago Bears last Sunday.

Jones was hurt in the fourth quarter with what was characterized as a stinger and replaced by Calvin Anderson. Coach Mike Tomlin wasn’t sure when Harmon was injured but noted the 2025 first-round selection finished the game.

Harmon’s injury flared up Monday when he reported to UPMC Rooney Sports Complex for treatment.

Yahya Black, another draft pick from 2025, will be a candidate to replace Harmon. The Steelers also added Brodric Martin-Rhodes to the active roster Nov. 6, signing him off Kansas City’s practice squad.

“We’re encouraged by the depth we have at that position,” Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “We’ll take the collective through the week and see who can execute the details. I’m sure it will more than one person.”

Although Anderson finished the game at left tackle, Tomlin didn’t discount using another veteran, Andrus Peat, to replace Jones. Peat was inactive for the game in Chicago and has played in just one game this season.

“I’m really comfortable with what Calvin has given us,” Tomlin said. “He’s been the guy that’s a swing tackle. He has shown really good capabilities in that area, but we’re also extremely comfortable with Peat. That’s one of the reasons we acquired Peat. There is a guy who has a resume that has started wire to wire, came into the league as a first-rounder. He has a different profile than Calvin. We like both guys.”

Players who could be limited early in the week are cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (hip flexor), wide receiver DK Metcalf (ankle) and wide receiver Ben Skowronek (shoulder).

No blame

Tomlin didn’t single out any player on the field for not realizing right tackle Troy Fautanu was uncovered on a crucial illegal formation call in the fourth quarter.

The penalty wiped out a 22-yard run by quarterback Mason Rudolph to midfield. It resulted in a third-and-9 from the Steelers 23 with 2 minutes, 5 seconds to play. After an incompletion on third down, the Steelers punted.

If Tomlin caught the formation, it didn’t happen in time to use a timeout. The Steelers had all three remaining at that point. Calvin Austin was the nearest receiver to Fautanu. Running back Kenny Gainwell went in motion and lined up to the outside of Austin.

“We own that as a collective,” Tomlin said. “We didn’t do a good enough job in that moment as a collective. It was a significant play.”

Too far

The Steelers’ comeback attempt ended when Rudolph’s fourth-down pass was batted down with 17 seconds left in the game. The Steelers were out of timeouts, and the clock was running after a pass to Metcalf gained 2 yards to the Chicago 47.

Tomlin declined to rush the field goal unit onto the field to give Chris Boswell a chance at a game-tying kick from 65 yards, which would have tied for third-longest in NFL history.

“I didn’t feel comfortable with the distance there,” Tomlin said. “I wanted to convert, then clock it and play from there.”

Incidentally, the longest field goal in Solder Field history is 59 yards.

Roster moves

The Steelers made a pair of transactions on the practice squad. Added were wide receiver Cornell Powell and defensive end Anthony Goodlow. To make room for them on the 16-man squad, the Steelers cut defensive back Daequan Hardy of Penn Hills/Penn State and linebacker Mark Robinson.

Goodlow appeared in three games with the Arizona Cardinals this season. Powell played in three games with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022 and was with the Houston Texans in training camp.

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