- Aug 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers safety Chuck Clark (21) reacts during player introductions against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Pittsburgh Steelers surprisingly included one of their veteran defensive backs among their Week 6 inactives.
The Pittsburgh Steelers dealt with a long list of injuries over the opening weeks of the season, but they’re finally close to full health as they get set to take on the Cleveland Browns in Week 6.
At the same time, though, veteran safety Chuck Clark is a surprise healthy inactive. Jabrill Peppers will be available for the Steelers instead while DeShon Elliott and Juan Thornhill should continue to take a majority of the reps at the position.
Clark Falling Out of Favor?
Clark was let go by Pittsburgh ahead of final roster cuts before later re-signing with the team on a one-year deal. He logged 133 total snaps while Elliott was out with a knee injury in Weeks 2 and 3, but it doesn’t seem as though he may not have of a role moving forward.
Four Starters Return
Outside linebacker Alex Highsmith (ankle), cornerbacks Joey Porter Jr. (hamstring) and Jalen Ramsey (hamstring) as well as running back Jaylen Warren all avoided the inactives list vs. Cleveland, meaning they’ll suit up for the Steelers’ first divisional matchup of the season.
- Jul 24, 2025; Latrobe, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) participates in drills during training camp at Saint Vincent College. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Secondary is Fully Healthy
For the first time since the first half of Week 1, Pittsburgh will have all of its starters in the secondary available.
It originally didn’t seem as though Ramsey had much of a chance to play against the Browns at the beginning of the week, but his long-term prognosis was evidently far more promising than it appeared upon going down against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4.
The timing of the Steelers’ Week 5 bye couldn’t have been more perfect either, as it gave Ramsey an extra week to recover and put himself in position to play vs. Cleveland. He did not practice to begin the week, though he was upgraded to a full participant on the final injury report.
Porter Jr., on the other hand, missed three-straight games after sustaining his injury against the Jets. He did not practice leading up to Weeks 2 and 3, and while he was upgraded to limited just ahead of Pittsburgh’s bout with Minnesota, the team opted to keep him sidelined until after the bye.
Steelers Have Full OLB Room
Pittsburgh briefly had Highsmith, T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig all healthy at the start of its Week 2 home opener against the Seattle Seahawks, though the former quickly suffered a sprained ankle and would remain out through the bye.
Now that Highsmith is back in action, though, it’ll be interesting to see how the Steelers divvy up the snaps among their edge rushers against the Browns considering Herbig, who would typically take a back seat in this case, has played at such a high level over the past few contests.
- Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) runs the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Can Steelers Keep Run Game Momentum Going?
Kenneth Gainwell turned in the Steelers’ best rushing performance of the year against the Vikings with 99 yards on 19 carries, but Warren’s return means that he’ll see his touches reduced against the Browns.
Warren has been far more effective through the air as opposed to on the ground this season, but perhaps Pittsburgh cracked the code in the run game vs. Minnesota and can carry that over this week.
