Jack, by comparison, allowed an opposing passer rating of 107.4 in coverage.ĭeion Jones appeared in 11 games for the rival Cleveland Browns in 2022 and allowed an opposing passer rating of just 80.2 in coverage. Kwon Alexander appeared in all 17 games for the New York Jets last season and allowed an opposing passer rating of 89.5 in coverage. If the Steelers hope to field a truly dominant defense, it would be wise to add a coverage specialist to the linebacker position, and a couple of options are available. Devin Bush, Robert Spillane and Myles Jack were sent packing, and the Steelers added Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts to a rotation that includes Tanner Muse and Mark Robinson. Unsurprisingly, Pittsburgh also reloaded its crop of inside and off-ball linebackers in the offseason. However, the pass coverage at the second level and in the secondary was inconsistent, and Pittsburgh ranked just 25th in yards per attempt allowed. The Steelers made a positive leap in their run defense last year, finishing the season ranked ninth in rushing yards allowed after ranking dead-last the previous season. Steelers LB Mark Robinson AP Photo/Terrance Williams Perhaps it's time to see if Houston is still interested in joining the Black and Gold. "I was so close to signing with the Steelers," Houston said in 2021, per NFL.com's Jelani Scott. Houston is a particularly intriguing option because of his experience in the AFC North and because he nearly signed with Pittsburgh two years ago. Players like Jadeveon Clowney, Yannick Ngakoue and Robert Quinn remain unsigned, along with former Ravens pass-rusher Justin Houston. The good news is that the free-agent market is still full of options. Pittsburgh could benefit from adding another situational edge-rusher to the mix. ![]() Golden is coming off a 2.5-sack campaign, and Herbig is totally unproven as a pro. Defensive lineman Cameron Heyward was the only Steelers aside from Watt and Highsmith who topped two sacks in 2022, and no other linebackers had more than one quarterback takedown.īehind Watt and Highsmith, the Steelers have fourth-round rookie Nick Herbig and free-agent addition Markus Golden, and that's about it. However, the Steelers could use some depth on the edge. The starting tandem of Watt and Alex Highsmith is among the best pass-rushing duos in the league. The Steelers managed to produce 40 sacks last season despite missing T.J. The Steelers have a fairly complete roster, so for them, the term "hole" is relative.įew would argue that Pittsburgh is in dire need of pass-rushing help. ![]() Steelers edge Alex Highsmith Michael Owens/Getty Images The Steelers play in the loaded AFC North, and a few potential holes remain that could prevent them from challenging teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals within the division.īelow, we'll examine three lingering question marks and a few free-agent options for the Steelers to consider adding before camp. ![]() With $12.3 million in cap space remaining, Pittsburgh should strongly consider adding a few final pieces to their camp roster before the evaluation begins. From there, the focus will shift to evaluation, as Pittsburgh will face the difficult task of whittling the roster down to 53 players. The time for reloading the roster is nearly over, as the Steelers are set to open training camp on July 26. The Steelers won nine games a year ago, appear to have strengthened their roster through free agency and the draft and have a quarterback in Kenny Pickett who is entering his pivotal second season. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin AP Photo/Rusty JonesĪll signs point to the Pittsburgh Steelers being back in the playoff mix in 2023.
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