Steelers Rule Out Offensive Starter; Undrafted Free Agent Set to Make NFL Debut

Getty Head coach Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers announced that guard Isaac Seumalo will not play in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts.

It will be at least another week until guard Isaac Seumalo makes his season debut for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team announced on September 28 that it had ruled out Seumalo for the Week 4 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

Spencer Anderson is set to start his fourth straight game at left guard for the Steelers.

Seumalo started all 17 games for the Steelers last season, which was his first in Pittsburgh. He signed a three-year, $24 million contract during the 2023 offseason.

According to Pro Football Focus, Seumalo was the best performing offensive linemen for the Steelers last season.

Pittsburgh also announced on September 28 that the team had elevated running back Aaron Shampkin and defensive back Thomas Graham from the practice squad for Week 4.

It will be the first time in Shampkin’s NFL career that he will dress for a regular season game. Graham last appeared in an official NFL game for the Cleveland Browns during the 2022 season.

Steelers’ Isaac Seumalo Will Not Play in Week 4

It’s disappointing for the Steelers that Seumalo will not dress again versus the Colts. But it’s not that unexpected.

Seumalo is progressing in his recovery, but he was a limited participant in practice throughout the week of the Colts game. The Steelers listed him as doubtful after practice on September 27.

The veteran guard sustained a pectoral injury on August 28 and returned to practice on September 25 for the first time since suffering the injury.

Had Seumalo needed surgery to repair his injured pectoral muscle, he would be missing the entire 2024 season. But Seumalo didn’t need surgery, so The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported he was expected to miss about a month.

Getting back the veteran guard will be a huge boost for the Steelers offensive line. Interior offensive lineman Nate Herbig suffered a season-ending injury during the preseason, which pushed rookie center Zach Frazier into a starting role.

Rookie right tackle Troy Fautanu is also dealing with a serious injury, forcing struggling second-year tackle Broderick Jones back into the starting lineup.

Seumalo is not only Pittsburgh’s best lineman, but he’s also the team’s most experienced lineman, starting 77 games in his eight-year NFL career.

Steelers Elevate RB Aaron Shampkin, DB Thomas Graham

With Seumalo sidelined again, the Steelers will try to keep rolling with their banged up offensive line. Of course, the Steelers aren’t completely healthy behind center either. Justin Fields is expected to start at quarterback again because a calf ailment is still limiting veteran Russell Wilson.

But the team is also dealing with an injury in the backfield to Jaylen Warren. The Steelers officially ruled him out on September 27 with a knee injury.

Najee Harris and Cordarrelle Patterson should see nearly all the carries for the Steelers versus the Colts. But Shampkin will provide extra depth in case another injury occurs.

Shampkin signed as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys in 2022. Ironically, he spent time with the Colts practice squad at the end of the 2022 season. Last year, he was in training camp with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Out of Steelers training camp this summer, he made the team’s practice squad. He could play the first regular season snap of his NFL career versus the Colts.

Graham will provide depth for Pittsburgh’s secondary, which is also dealing with multiple injuries. Veterans DeShon Elliott and Donte Jackson were on the injury report this past week, but they did fully practice on September 27.

Graham played 11 games for the Browns from 2021-22. He recorded 19 combined tackles, including 1 tackle for loss. He played 149 defensive snaps and 79 snaps on special teams.