Joey Porter Jr. Alex Highsmith
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The TribLive.com's Joe Rutter reported Pittsburgh Steelers defenders Joey Porter Jr. and Alex Highsmith are expected to play in Week 6.
The Pittsburgh Steelers might be without former All-Pro Jalen Ramsey for a couple games. But the team received very positive injury updates on other defensive starters Joey Porter Jr. and Alex Highsmith on Monday.
The TribLive.com’s Joe Rutter reported on social media Porter and Highsmith each worked out for the Steelers to begin preparations for the Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Rutter added in a social media post Porter and Highsmith are each expected to play.
Joey Porter Jr and Alex Highsmith each confirmed they worked out Monday on a bonus day for the Steelers. They each expect to play Sunday against the Browns.
— Joe Rutter (@tribjoerutter) October 6, 2025
Porter hasn’t played since exiting Week 1 with a hamstring injury. The Steelers had Porter listed as questionable ahead of their Week 4 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Steelers had a bye in Week 5.
Highsmith sustained an injury in Week 1 as well. He dressed for Week 2 but exited the contest with a high-ankle sprain.
The Steelers will host the Browns on Sunday at 1 pm ET.
Steelers’ Joey Porter Jr. Claims ‘I’m Back’
Pittsburgh sports fans didn’t necessarily need Rutter’s report to know Porter is expected to play in Week 6. The always brutally honest cornerback told reporters Monday he would return.
“Yeah, definitely. I’m back,” said Porter after Monday’s practice session, via 93.7 The Fan.
Of all the injured Steelers, the team might need Porter back the most. More than likely, he will slide right back into the starting lineup and play as many snaps as he can handle. The Steelers will need that if Ramsey doesn’t dress.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported on September 29 that Ramsey could miss several weeks. The Steelers have yet to update Ramsey’s status.
On Monday, Dulac compared Ramsey’s hamstring injury to the one Porter suffered. If one includes the bye, Porter missed four weeks.
“Jalen Ramsey, basically, is gonna be Joey Porter’s injury. A pretty good hamstring tear,” Dulac said on 102.5 WDVE’s Morning Show with Randy Baumann, via Steelers Depot’s Ross McCorkle. “Whenever you have that injury, the hamstring, it’s so tennis. It’s so easy to aggravate it.
“They just wanna be sure that doesn’t happen.”
The Steelers secondary could be in trouble if Porter was still sidelined with Ramsey hurt as well. But with Porter returning, the team’s defensive backfield is in much better shape.
Alex Highsmith Also Expected to Return for Steelers
Without Highsmith, Nick Herbig has starred playing opposite T.J. Watt. That’s why it’s not as necessary to have Highsmith back as Porter.
But the Steelers will still enjoy having their full complement of edge rushers.
In Week 4, Highsmith was all over the field, posting eight combined tackles, including one for loss and a sack. He had one tackle before exiting in Week 2.
Last season, Highsmith posted six sacks with nine tackles for loss in 11 games. He registered 14.5 sacks with a league-leading five forced fumble during 2022.
How the Steelers split snaps between Highsmith and Herbig will be a storyline in Week 6. Herbig has registered 2.5 sacks, four tackles for loss and eight quarterback hits in three games this season.
Watt had a slow start to the season. But he has three sacks, one forced fumble and an interception in the past two games combined.
Coming off a bye week, the Steelers will host a Browns squad returning from London. Cleveland lost 21-17 to the Vikings on Sunday.