The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to get some of their injured players back in Week 7 when the New York Jets come to Acrisure Stadium on Sunday Night Football. And while the potential of getting Alex Highsmith, Cordarrelle Patterson and Damontae Kazee back is a great sign, the news on rookie center Zach Frazier isn’t as good.

It was reported earlier in the week Frazier’s injury is more week-to-week than a long term injury, and Mike Tomlin agreed with this assessment during his Tuesday press conference. Tomlin did say Frazier is out for the game Sunday night, but could he return for the Monday Night Football showdown vs. the New York Giants at home in Week 8?

According to Nick Farabaugh, it’s unlikely.

Farabaugh states his sources tell him it’s more expected to see Frazier return after the team’s Week 9 bye.

Sources said that the ‘week-to-week’ designation is accurate for Frazier, but to expect a return ‘after the bye.’

So, expect to see McCollum for the next two weeks. https://t.co/6euIUgNACl

— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) October 16, 2024

Before fans think about two weeks of Ryan McCollum, there is always a chance Frazier returns for Week 8, he is an extremely tough football player. But at the same time the risk of further injury isn’t necessarily worth it when it comes to the long term health of both Frazier and the offensive line.

If Farabaugh’s report is accurate, Frazier would be back in the lineup vs. the Washington Commanders on the road in Week 10.

The big question in this scenario is if not having Frazier could somehow impact other decisions on the team. Decisions like which quarterback will be in the lineup considering the mobility of Justin Fields and/or Russell Wilson. That has yet to be seen, but the Steelers are hoping McCollum can fill the void well enough to deliver two wins before they get the week off in Week 9.

Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the Jets on Sunday Night Football in Week 7.