"Something Really Wrong": Steelers May Be Hiding Serious Injury Behind The Scenes

It has been an eventful 2026 offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team has experienced plenty of changes regarding the coaching staff and personnel, so training camp has been a very big step to getting everyone on the same page. A lot of the focus has been on new head coach Mike McCarthy, but one of his particular hires could be the reason the franchise finds success or doesn't. Patrick Graham is an experienced defensive coordinator; however, he has never had as talented of a group as he will in the Steel City. There will be no excuses if the unit falters early on.

The front seven appears to have the most depth that it has had in several years. Injuries are always going to come into the equation, but the group as a whole should be especially stout up front. Something the Steelers did not do was invest at inside linebacker. The depth chart looks the exact same as it did a year ago, so the team is really betting on those guys stepping up in a big way.

At cornerback, questions remain only because of a Joey Porter Jr. injury that could also mysteriously disappear if he receives a contract extension. Aside from that, there is also an impressive amount of talent there as well. Overall, Pittsburgh's defense is shaping up to be the best it has in years; although, the play-calling and scheme will matter to the fullest extent.

When taking a look at Graham's personnel, the biggest question is revolving around safety. The Steelers don't really have a true free safety that will scare the opposition, so a significant addition still cannot be ruled out. Something that has been swept under the rug just a little bit is the health of do-it-all defender Jalen Ramsey, who can work in at safety if need be.

McCarthy announced that the veteran suffered some kind of injury during offseason workouts and that he would be worked back in slowly. It was stated that he shouldn't miss a ton of time, but it's fair to question that now given his absence from practice. He remains on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list with the first preseason matchup a week away. Insider Mark Kaboly stated on Wednesday evening that he is starting to get concerned about what's going on.

"Right now, I'm 50-50 with Ramsey," Kaboly said. "They're either being cautious and bringing him back later or there's something really wrong with him. I mean, we can't get a read on that. I can't get a read on that, so I don't know."

Kaboly has been around the organization for decades. He understands how it operates and being completely split on what is going on with Ramsey is notable. It is still early, but fans might start to get worried if the Steelers don't activate Ramsey in a timely manner. He's an extremely expensive piece of the defense, so his participation is crucial.

Pittsburgh began camp in a pretty good manner when it comes to injuries. Only Ramsey, Porter and Donte Kent began on PUP. Unfortunately, all three of those individuals play in the secondary. It has given some other guys opportunities, but there is no doubt that Ramsey and Porter in particular need to be healthy and ready to go for the regular season.

Porter suffered a back tweak that could magically heal if an extension comes across his desk to sign, but Ramsey is the one to keep an eye on. If the knee ailment he suffered is a lot more serious than anyone truly expects, it could hurt the Steelers' defensive plans. It might already be affecting the unit because new players aren't able to workout much with a chess piece who likes to move all around.

Steelers Need Ramsey To Get Back To Practice Soon

What Pittsburgh would likely want to do is get Ramsey on the field with the first-team defense sooner rather than later. Porter is easier to simply insert on the outside to go up against the opponent's top receiver. However, when you have someone like Ramsey who will provide a key strategic advantage, the unit as a whole needs to be working with him in practice.

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