Mike Tomlin updates status of injured Steelers Larry Ogunjobi, Nate Herbig and Tre Norwood

Ahead of the Steelers’ second preseason game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin provided status updates on three key players.

According to the skipper, defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, guard Nate Herbig and safety Tre Norwood will not be available for the game on Saturday versus the Buffalo Bills.

Ogunjobi recently suffered a right foot injury and has been walking around the Steelers’ facilities in a walking boot.

Meanwhile, Herbig has missed two practices now with a shoulder injury. Norwood, although he’s been able to practice in a limited capacity, is dealing with a right leg injury.

The trio of players will miss Saturday’s game, however, Tomlin also noted that they aren’t long-term concerns.

Ogunjobi nearing return practice

On Thursday, reporters spotted Ogunjobi walking without the boot. It’s a good sign that he’s nearing a return. Ogunjobi played at Charlotte before going in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The Browns selected him with the first pick of the third round.

He played four seasons with the Browns before spending one year in Cincinnati with the Bengals. He initially signed a one-year deal with the Steelers for $8 million but they re-upped on him in a major way this offseason.

Ogunjobi signed for three more years which will keep him in Pittsburgh through 2025. He’ll get nearly $30 million, with $21.75 paid out in the first two years.

The Steelers’ defensive tackle has 23 career sacks with 40 tackles for loss over six seasons. In 2022, he posted 48 tackles, 1.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss while the Steelers went 9-8.

Norwood, a third-year safety, has 61 career tackles so far for the Steelers, along with one interception.

Dan Orlovsky praises for Kenny Pickett/George Pickens connection

In the team’s first preseason game, quarterback Kenny Pickett played only one drive but managed to impressively cap it off by finding George Pickens on a deep post in between three defenders for a 33-yard touchdown pass.

“I think I owe them a little bit of an apology,” ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said on a panel on NFL Live. “After watching preseason Week 1 and seeing the connection and seeing all that’s going on in training camp and seeing some of the clips, you go back and watch their connection last year.

“If I had to ask all of us, ‘Who was in the NFL the best QBR wise quarterback to pass-catching option, single pass-catching option in the NFL last year… it wasn’t Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown. It wasn’t Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. It was these two. QBR wise it was Kenny Pickett and George Pickens. That is incredible.”

Pickett and Pickens get another shot at impressing the talking heads on Saturday against the Bills.