Steelers notes: Thin at OLB after Markus Golden scratch, team loses Alex Highsmith in 1st half

The Pittsburgh Steelers made the decision to designate veteran outside linebacker Markus Golden as a healthy inactive for Thursday night’s game against the New England Patriots.

Based on the way the early portion of the game played out, they perhaps grew to quickly regret that decision.

Golden was their top backup to the stellar starting duo of T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith all season, leaving the Steelers with rookie Nick Herbig as the only experienced reserve at OLB.

So, in an example of Murphy’s Law, play was stopped after the first snap from scrimmage of the game because Watt suffered an injury.

Though Watt would quickly return — he appeared to get attention from training personnel on his neck or upper-body area — Highsmith would suffer a neck injury on the second play of the second quarter. He did not return to the game.

The Steelers announced just before halftime that Highsmith would not return.

That left the Steelers to play more than half Thursday’s game with an outside linebackers group of just Watt, Herbig and practice-squad elevation Kyron Johnson.

Signed last month after being cut by the Philadelphia Eagles, Johnson made his Steelers debut Sunday in the loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He played only special teams in that game, though, and had just 18 NFL regular-season defensive snaps of experience — all as a rookie sixth-round pick of the Eagles in 2022.

Highsmith has missed only one game over his four-year NFL career, an early 2021 contest vs. Cincinnati.

No ‘question’

Four starters who were listed as questionable for the Steelers were active.

Running back Najee Harris (knee), left guard Isaac Seumalo (shoulder), inside linebacker Elandon Roberts (groin) and center Mason Cole (neck) all started against the Patriots.

Harris did not practice Tuesday or Wednesday, and Seumalo did not participate in practice Wednesday. Cole and Roberts were limited in the two workouts. Roberts and Seumalo were injured during the first half of Sunday’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

No Leal

Golden wasn’t the only new name on the list of healthy Steelers inactives. It also included defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal, who was designated inactive without an injury designation for the first time since the Steelers drafted him in the third round last year.

Leal missed a Week 5 game against the Baltimore Ravens this season because of a concussion.

The return of nose tackle Montravius Adams after a four-game absence because of an ankle injury did not leave room for Leal on the game-day roster.

Running back Anthony McFarland and tackle Dylan Cook were the Steelers’ other healthy scratches. It had been previously announced that quarterback Kenny Pickett (ankle) and cornerback James Pierre (shoulder) would not play Thursday.

Veteran linebacker Blake Martinez was active for first time since signing with the Steelers. Another veteran linebacker recently signed out of retirement, Myles Jack, did not get elevated from the practice squad.

Inactive for the Patriots were wide receivers DeVante Parker, Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas, cornerback Shaun Wade, running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and JaMycal Hasty, and tackle Vederian Lowe.

White chosen for showcase

Steelers director of pro scouting Sheldon White accepted an invitation from the NFL to participate in what has dubbed the Front Office & General Manager Accelerator Program next week during league meetings in Dallas.

White is in his second season with the Steelers but had 20 prior years of experience working for NFL teams, including a lengthy stint (1997-2015) with the Detroit Lions that included a brief tenure as interim general manager.

“Sheldon has served in executive roles at multiple franchises in this league, so he brings a unique knowledge and experience-level to the event that maybe other participants still need at this point of their career,” Steelers general manager Omar Khan said in a team-released statement. “He really brings an aptitude on the process that will benefit everyone.”

This is the fourth accelerator program the league has staffed since its first last year, following one for coaches during May league meetings in Minneapolis.

According to the NFL, the intent is provide up-and-coming, respected team personnel an “opportunity to build relationships with club owners and executives ahead of the hiring cycle.”

Among the other 41 taking part in the program is Carolina Panthers vice president of football administration Samir Suleiman, who formerly spent eight years in the Steelers front office.