Coach Mike Tomlin said Monday that he expects Heyward (groin) to be a full participant by the start of training camp, Nick Farabaugh of Steelers Now reports.
Heyward currently is recovering from a cleanup procedure undergone to address a groin/core injury, but Tomlin said he's "not anticipating it to be a factor by the time we get to training camp." The veteran defensive end managed to finish 2023 with 33 tackles (25 solo), two sacks and one pass breakup in 11 games, despite playing through a core-muscle injury for much of the season, so he could bounce back this year if he's simply healthier. Heyward tallied a combined 20.5 sacks across his previous two seasons.