Photo: USA Today Sports

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Great defense is a Steelers trademark. Pittsburgh is the birthplace of the 3-4 zone blitz, and they have been playing it for decades. If it's not broken, don't fix it. The team has a long and storied tradition of great pass rushers and explosive playmakers in a scheme designed to pressure and force mistakes. It is fun to watch as a fan, and it wins a lot of games.

The 2023 version of the Steel Curtain was not one of the all-time great Pittsburgh defenses, but it did not tarnish the reputation. The unit allowed the 19th most rush yards, the 17th most passing yards, and the fourth most plays of 20+ yards. On the other hand, they were eleventh in interceptions, eleventh in sacks, second in forced fumbles, seventh in recoveries, gave up the third-fewest points on the ground, and most importantly for their win column, the Steelers surrendered the sixth-fewest total points.

This unit had one glaring need going into the offseason, and they addressed it in both free agency and the draft. If the offense can find itself, this team could be in the thick of it come December.   

Defensive Linemen

The main ingredient in a successful 2024 for the Steelers, is a healthy T.J. Watt. There is no way to overstate how good this guy is. Maybe the best example is that he is the first player in history to lead the league in sacks three times. Indeed, if not for a partially torn pectoral in week one of 2022 that cost him seven games, we might be looking at four consecutive titles for Watt.

When it comes to the IDP game, Watt is on a tier of his own. Not only was he the top scorer at the position in 2023 but he outscored number two Khalil Mack by 19 points and number three Danielle Hunter by over 30. That's because Watt is much more than a one-trick pony.

On top of being the best pass rusher in the game, Watt is outstanding versus the run, can make plays in coverage, and forces a boatload of turnovers. He has at least 54 combined stops in every season of his seven-year career except 2022. To go with the 97.5 career sacks, Watt has 7 interceptions, 46 passes defended, 26 forced fumbles, 10 recoveries, and a score. Simply put, there is no argument against making him the first defensive player off the board.

Watt is the best but not the only Pittsburg defensive lineman with significant IDP value. Alex Highsmith was the team's third-round pick in 2020. Like most rookie edge defenders, he posted modest numbers in year one. In his second season, Highsmith began to show up. His sack totals remained modest at six, but the 46 solo stops and 28 assists were enough to put him on the IDP radar. Even without the help of Watt for much of the season, Highsmith broke out in 2022. With 62 combined tackles, 14 sacks, and 5 forced fumbles, he was top-ten among edge defenders that season.

Highsmith's production slipped a little in 2023. His tackle totals were down slightly at 57 combined and his sack total fell by half to seven. Four turnovers, three batted passes, and a touchdown were enough to keep him inside the top 20. The 14-sack season could prove to be a career outlier but the rest of Highsmith's numbers have been very consistent, making him a good second starter or excellent depth with a high ceiling.

The organization usually brings in a veteran free agent to provide depth behind Watt and Highsmith. In 2021 it was Melvin Ingram III, In 2022, Malik Reed, and last year Marcus Golden. They made no such investment this offseason which could be a sign of confidence in last year's fourth-round pick, Nick Herbig.

Herbig saw limited action as a rookie, getting on the field for 211 plays, but he made the most of the chances with 27 tackles, 3 sacks, and 3 turnovers. Herbig shared the third-man role with Golden a year ago. This season he could have it all to himself, which could mean upward of 500 snaps. At the very least, Herbig is the name to know in the event of an injury to Watt or Highsmith.  

Cameron Heyward has thirteen NFL seasons under his belt. He has been incredibly consistent throughout his career but two of his most productive seasons have come in the last three. At age 32 in 2021, he piled up 89 combined tackles, 10 sacks, 3 turnovers, and 9 batted passes to be the fantasy game's top tackle. For an encore at age 33, he posted 74 total stops with 10 sacks, 2 turnovers, and 4 batted passes to finish second.

Heyward suffered a groin injury early in week one last year, missing the next six games while recovering from surgery. He got back on the field around mid-season but was not himself the rest of the way. At age 35 he is looking for a bounceback and a payday.

Heyward has asked for an extension and skipped some early workouts to make his point. He expects to play beyond 2024, though it remains to be seen if the Steelers are willing to pay him beyond this year. If he can return to form, they had better.  

Larry Ogunjobi and second-year man Keeanu Benton fill out the rest of the starting lineup at the first level. Ogunjobi has bounced around the league a bit in recent years, largely because he has trouble staying healthy. He is an athletic big man who played well at the three-technique for the Browns before the rash of annoying minor injuries started. Ogunjobi posted a career-best of seven sacks from that same position with the Bengals in 2021.

Two seasons with the Steelers have been fairly quiet for Ogunjobi. He is a good scheme fit and has been healthy but 45 combined stops and 2 sacks are not enough to earn a roster spot in most IDP leagues. Those are his averages over the last two seasons.

Benton earned an even split of the playing time at nose tackle as a rookie last year, with Montravius Adams getting the other half of the snaps. The rookie out-played and out-produced Adams, which could mean a bigger slice of the pie in year two. Benton is a space-eating anchor in the middle for the Steelers. He finished 17-19-1 on just over 500 opportunities and is an important piece of the puzzle for his team. Even a couple hundred more snaps, however, are not likely to make him worth a roster spot on ours.

• Edge T.J. Watt – Watt is the elite tier on the Edge and has first defender drafted value
• Edge Alex Highsmith – Priority solid Edge2 or excellent depth with top-twelve upside
• Edge Nick Herbig – Injury sleeper with good long-term potential
• DT Cameron Heyward – Elite tier DT1 if fully healthy, but he's 35 years old
• DT Larry Ogunjobi – Marginal impact
• NT Keeanu Benton – No grand expectations
• DT DeMarvin Leal – No impact
• NT Montravius Adams – No impact
• DT Logan Lee – Developmental rookie