Seumalo with ‘real shot’ of returning to Steelers lineup

After losing three players to season-ending injuries, the Pittsburgh Steelers may be getting some good news on their offensive line.

Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that left guard Isaac Seumalo could return when the Steelers face the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.

Seumalo began practicing on a limited basis last week for the first time since he strained a pectoral muscle about 10 days before the regular season opener.

“He was close last week,” Tomlin said. “It’s reasonable to assume he’s got a real shot to make it this time around.”

Seumalo’s return would be welcomed for the Steelers, who lost right guard James Daniels to a season-ending left Achilles injury in the first quarter of their 27-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

It was just two seasons ago that the Steelers had five offensive linemen start all 17 games, with the quintet missing 47 snaps combined for the season.

Daniels was placed on injured reserve, making him the third lineman to end up on that list, joining center/ guard Nate Herbig and rookie right tackle Troy Fautanu.

“You handle that with quality depth and, thankfully, that’s something we have,” Tomlin said. “We’ve invested a lot the last several offseasons in terms of acquiring young, talented people. They are capable, and they are getting an opportunity to show that.”

Rookie fourth-rounder Mason McCormick made his first NFL start at left guard after 2023 seventh-round pick Spencer Anderson started the first three in Seumalo’s absence. Once Seumalo is healthy, McCormick could move to right guard, with Anderson potentially rotating at that spot.

“Double thumbs up on both guys,” Tomlin said. “I’m not surprised by it. Both have shown maturity beyond their years in the developmental process and their play, to boot.”

To address their depth, the Steelers signed veteran guard Max Scharping to the 53-man roster. Houston’s second-round pick in 2019, Scharping spent the past two seasons with Cincinnati and was on Washington’s practice squad this season.

Scharping has started 33 of 79 career games but none since 2021.

The Steelers released two players from the 53-man roster: safety Jalen Elliott and CB Darius Rush. They each made the season-opening roster, and Elliott played the past two games on special teams while Rush was inactive the past two weeks.

On the practice squad, the Steelers added running back La’Mical Perine and outside linebacker Eku Leota, and they cut fullback Jack Colletto and linebacker Marcus Haynes.

Highsmith out again Outside linebacker Alex Highsmith’s run of 51 consecutive starts ended when he sat out the loss at Indianapolis with a groin injury. Tomlin expects Highsmith to be sidelined again when the Steelers play the Cowboys.

Nick Herbig will make his second consecutive start provided he, too, is healthy. Herbig left the Indianapolis game with an ankle injury but returned in the second half. Herbig could be limited in practice early in the week, Tomlin said.

Running back Jaylen Warren (knee), tight end MyCole Pruitt (knee), running back Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle) and defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (ankle) are dealing with injuries but could be available against Dallas.

Three players are eligible to practice this week after being placed on injured reserve before the season opener: tackle Dylan Cook, outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon and defensive end Logan Lee. Inside linebacker Cole Holcomb also is eligible to practice after opening the season on the physically unable to perform list.

Mea culpa from NFL Tomlin didn’t agree with the personal foul assessed to safety Minkah Fitzpatrick on a pass late in the third quarter to Colts rookie Adoni Mitchell, and he called NFL offices Monday to seek clarification.

“They thought it was a clean hit,” Tomlin said.

Fitzpatrick was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the hit, and he said he was told by officials that it was for hitting a defenseless receiver in the head. Fitzpatrick maintained he made shoulder-to-shoulder contact with Mitchell.

“I didn’t like that call,” Tomlin said. “I talked to New York yesterday, they didn’t like that call as well, but it doesn’t help me on a Monday.”

Instead of the Colts facing a third-and-10, they had a fresh set of downs inside Steelers territory, and they drove for a touchdown that gave Indianapolis a 24-10 lead.

“You better be mentally tough and move onto the next step and understand it’s a component of the games,” Tomlin said. “Officials aren’t perfect. None of us are. We make mistakes in game that we have to overcome. If they make a mistake in game, we have to be prepared to overcome that as well.”