Steelers OL Isaac Seumalo suffers season-ending chest injury and is reportedly expected to be out for a month

The Pittsburgh Steelers had good news and bad news after practice on Wednesday. The bad news was that starting guard Isaac Seumalo suffered a pectoral injury during practice. The good news was that Seumalo avoided a season-ending injury and is expected to be out for a month, according to the Post-Gazette.

Seumalo was examined after leaving training early to determine the severity of his injury, and a source told ESPN: “Once again we got away with a black eye.”

Injuries plagued Pittsburgh’s offensive line this summer. Nate Herbig, who was competing with rookie Zach Frazier for the Steelers’ starting spot, suffered a shoulder injury that meant the end of the season during Pittsburgh's final practice. Starting tackle Broderick Jones played despite an elbow injury that certainly contributed to his struggles during the tryout season.

Rookie Mason McCormick and 2023 seventh-round pick Spencer Anderson are expected to replace Seumalo in the starting lineup. Anderson appeared in eight games as a rookie. McCormick, a fourth-round pick who played college football at FCS South Dakota State, had what could be described as a success in training camp/preseason. He recently said he would be willing if the Steelers asked him to move to center in light of Herbig's injury.

Pittsburgh is obviously hoping Seumalo's injury won't keep him out of action for more than a month. The 30-year-old, who has been on the field for nine years, started each of Pittsburgh's 17 games last season, his first for the Steelers after spending the first eight years of his career in Philadelphia. He was a key backup when the Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2017 and was a starter on Philadelphia's 2022 NFC championship team.