Historically, the Pittsburgh Steelers are known as being a team with a great defense. After they were let down by their defense too many times in the mid-2010s during their “Killer B” era, the Steelers are back to being great on that side of the ball. There are a few question marks on the defense, but overall, Pittsburgh returns a very solid and likely improved defense from last season.
Pro Football Focus released their rankings of the best players in the NFL at each position heading into next season. It was no surprise to see the Steelers better represented on defense than they were on the offensive side of the ball.
How PFF Ranks Pittsburgh Steelers Defense Ahead of 2024 Season
Defensive Line
It’s not a shock to see Pittsburgh have their most representation on the list along the defensive front. Starting off with their elite pair of edge rushers, T.J. Watt was ranked #4 and Alex Highsmith came in at #19. While those are both great rankings, an argument could be made that each guy was underrated by PFF. A low pass-rush win rate was cited as the reason for Watt being ranked a little lower than many might have expected. When analyzing Highsmith, it was noted he was graded as an elite player in 2023 and set a career-high in pressures.
The other member of the Steelers defensive front to be ranked highly was Cameron Heyward, who has been a cornerstone of their defense for over a decade. At 35 years old, PFF still has the perennial Pro Bowl and All-Pro candidate ranked #5 among interior defenders. Heyward’s performance was down in 2023, but he was also playing injured most of the season. As he enters the 2024 season fully healthy, even at age 35, expect Heyward to be back to his usual, dominant self. The Steelers should be prioritizing an extension for Heyward, who has said he is open to playing elsewhere in 2024 and beyond.
Linebackers
Pittsburgh had just one member of their very good group of linebackers make the list, with newly-acquired Patrick Queen coming in at #7 among linebackers. Queen came to the Steelers from the Baltimore Ravens this offseason and will be the heart and soul in the center of their defense. Though the others weren’t ranked in the top 32, there is a strong rotation of players behind Queen, too. Elandon Roberts, Cole Holcomb, and rookie Payton Wilson will all be battling for playing time. Holcomb is still recovering from a gruesome knee injury that ended his 2023 season but should make for a great counterpart for Queen when healthy.
Secondary
In the secondary, the Steelers had two players make the list at their respective positions. First, rookie standout Joey Porter Jr. came in at #32 on the list of cornerbacks. There’s an argument to be made that Porter should be higher on the list, but his ranking is understandable. Porter was elite at preventing separation last year; as a rookie, he was already among the best cover cornerbacks in the NFL. But, he also struggled as a tackler and committed too many penalties. Overall though, Porter’s rookie campaign was very impressive and he enters 2024 with expectations of being an elite cornerback.
On the backend of the Steelers’ defense, Minkah Fitzpatrick was ranked #4 in the safety rankings. Fitzpatrick missed time in 2023 due to injuries. When he was on the field, he wasn’t the ball-hawking playmaker we have grown accustomed to seeing. Fitzpatrick was tremendous in run support though. With Pittsburgh’s linebackers and defensive line set to be better than last year, Fitzpatrick shouldn’t need to worry about run support as much. He has the chance to get back to his roots of playing deep in the defense, reading what’s happening in front of him, and making a play on the ball. That’s when Fitzpatrick is at his best.
Main Photo: Sam Greene/The Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK
