At first, the Pittsburgh Steelers had teased the idea of 2025 first-round pick Derrick Harmon playing in their Week 2 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
Further reports have come out, and the Oregon standout has been ruled out, according to Chris Ward of SteelersNOW.
Derrick Harmon joined a group of three Steelers players – including safety DeShon Elliot and Malik Harrison – who have been listed as out for next week's home opener against the Seahawks.
What's the significance of Derrick Harmon's injury?
It seems that the Pittsburgh Steelers used their 2025 first-round pick on a defensive tackle out of Oregon to help bolster the team's defensive line. Their depth at the position before acquiring Harmon has only been getting older, so general manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin decided it was time to draft for the future.
Harmon, 22, had initially been in line to start the regular season on the defensive line alongside other high-paid players like Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Alex Highsmith, but an injury in the team's preseason finale has set him back a few weeks.
The No. 21 overall pick suffered an MCL Sprain in Pittsburgh's game against the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 21. Luckily, Harmon only sprained the knee ligament and didn't suffer from a more serious injury.
Chris Ward reported that Harmon "is expected to ramp up his physical participation this week as he begins his return" from the injury.
If things go well, the defensive tackle will be reevaluated in hopes of making his NFL debut in Week 3 against the New England Patriots.