Steelers notes: Alex Highsmith inching closer to readiness
Alex Highsmith was short on specifics as he took off his cleats after Pittsburgh Steelers practice Friday. But the first three words he used when asked about his recovery from a rib injury said volumes.
“I am good,” Highsmith said. “Yes, sir.”
Highsmith has missed practices and preseason games over the past 2 ½ weeks but projected a confident outlook in regards to his availability for when the regular season begins Sept. 11 at the Cincinnati Bengals.
“Continue to doing what I can,” Highsmith said, “keeping myself in shape so I can be ready.”
Highsmith is entering his third NFL season and his second full season as the Steelers’ starter at right outside linebacker. He plays opposite the reigning defensive player of the year in T.J. Watt, but Highsmith is virtually unchallenged for his starting spot.
That assumes health, of course. And Highsmith said he believes he prepared himself as best he could during the time he could not take part in live practice.
“During practice, whenever the defense has been out there on the field, I’ve just tried to do mental reps,” he said. “I had the call sheet at practice, so, any time our defense is out there getting reps, I was trying to analyze what I would be doing on that play and kind of going through the calls in my head.
“I’ve also been watching extra film since I haven’t been able to be out there on the field fully right now. But I’m running and staying in shape so that, when I come back, I will be ready.”
No 2-minute Mitch
It was pointed out to coach Mike Tomlin both Kenny Pickett (twice) and Mason Rudolph have gotten opportunities to work the “2-minute offense” — and both succeeded at it. With that in mind and with how much Tomlin values so-called “situational football,” does he intend on trying to get a 2-minute situation for his presumptive starter, Mitch Trubisky, during Sunday’s preseason finale against the Detroit Lions?
“We’ve worked enough in team development that it’s not a prevailing thought,” Tomlin said. “If he gets one, great.”
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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