Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — Ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ home opener against the Seattle Seahawks, three defensive starters and a few depth linemen were listed as the Steelers’ inactives. Defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (knee), safety DeShon Elliott (knee), cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (hamstring), guards Andrus Peat and Max Scharping and defensive end Esezi Otomewo won’t dress for the Steelers.
Elliott and Porter were injured during last week’s 34-32 win over the New York Jets. A roving Jalen Ramsey and backup Chuck Clark combined to replace Elliott. The Steelers signed former New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers this week.
“You play a long time in this league, you know you’re gonna get traded or cut,” Peppers said Wednesday of his Patriots departure. “I’m happy (Mike) Tomlin made the call. He was a coach I definitely said I wanted to play for before I retire. It just happened a lot sooner than I thought.”
The Minnesota Vikings drafted Otomewo in the fifth round in 2022. He has played in nine career games. He has yet to make his Steelers debut after signing with the team this offseason. Scharping, a sixth-year pro, has made 33 career starts, all with the Houston Texans. He played in two games for the Steelers last season.
Harmon, the Steelers’ first-round pick this year, was hurt in the team’s final preseason game. He wasn’t placed on injured reserve, meaning he could return soon.
“Injuries are part of this game, and at this level, it’s part of what we do,” Harmon said last month. “So just trying to keep my hopes up and keep me mentally prepared and mentally focused. … Once I got next to my teammates, they cheered me up, man, and told me to get out of my head.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Make 3 Defensive Starters Inactive vs. Seahawks
