“Predicting the 53” is a series we will continue throughout the offseason where we predict which 53 players will make up the Pittsburgh Steelers final roster. This post will focus on the Steelers defnsive linemen, a group that is full of talent. Worth nothing, this won’t include the team’s dominant outside linebackers, who make the front unit even more fearsome. A key storyline to watch for the Steelers defensive linemen will be the attempt to replace Javon Hargrave. The elite defensive tackle left in free agency for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Pittsburgh lacks a true nose tackle to fill the void.
Predicting the Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive Linemen
Defensive Ends
Pittsburgh’s duo at defensive end is perhaps the strongest pairing on their whole defense. They have an elite pass rushing duo and a very good pair of starting cornerbacks. But their defensive ends are something else. Cameron Heyward has consistently shown that he is one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL. Look no further than his first-team All-Pro selection last year. Heyward has been playing at the highest level for several years. 2020 is his last year under contract with the team. He probably isn’t going anywhere, but with the 2021 salary cap potentially being affected by Covid-19, Pittsburgh will have tough decisions to make. One thing’s for sure, though. If Heyward continues to play at a truly elite level, the team will do every thing in their power to make sure he spends his entire career in the black and gold.
Joining Heyward at the other defensive end spot is Stephon Tuitt. Due to a season-ending injury last year, Tuitt is flying under the radar heading into 2020. Think about it this way. As previously mentioned, Heyward was one of the best defensive linemen in the league last year. Through five weeks, he wasn’t even the best defensive lineman on Pittsburgh’s roster. That’s how high of a level Tuitt was playing at; he was a force. He was on pace to shatter his career high in sacks and was dominant against the run, too. With some depth problems behind Tuitt and Heyward, it’s essential for Tuitt to be healthy this year. And if he is, Pittsburgh’s top-ranked defense gets even more scary.
Nose Tackles
This is an interesting group because, well, Pittsburgh doesn’t really have one. At least not one that’s capable of being a full-time starter. There will be a lot of rotation at this position, for sure. Furthermore, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the position just used less all together. The Steelers already use a lot of sub-package, and the loss of Hargrave will likely push them further down that road. But anyway, the two guys who we’ll call nose tackles are Tyson Alualu and Daniel McCullers. Previously, McCullers would have found himself alone in this group, and Alualu would’ve been part of the next group. But Mike Tomlin said Alualu will be the first player to get first-team nose tackle snaps at training camp, so he finds himself here.
McCullers is the only true nose tackle on the team. He just doesn’t offer much as a player, though. One thing he has going for him is size. He’s huge and at the very least can absorb blockers at the line of scrimmage. But he doesn’t make much use out of his size. McCullers is slow and not particularly strong at the point of attack. He’ll see limited action when the team just needs a big body on the field. Alualu, a bit undersized for the position, will be asked to play an important role. Despite his size disadvantage, Alualu is solid at getting off blocks and being a nuisance against the run. His low pad level is advantageous to hold his ground and at the very least, not let his blocker get to the second level. Alualu will get some reps at defensive end, too.
Tweeners
These two guys round out the Steelers defensive linemen, but it’s unclear what position they’ll get most of their snaps at. Chris Wormley was brought in via trade in the offseason. Many expected him to be the team’s starting nose tackle, and there’s still a chance he’ll win that job. Wormley is more of a defensive end than defensive tackle, though. It’s very likely he’ll be asked to rotate around the line and play both positions.
Second-year player Isaiah Buggs fits pretty much the same description. He started to play well towards the end of his rookie campaign. Like Wormley, he’s probably more of a defensive end but will definitely be asked to play some nose tackle, too. His second-year development is crucial, as he could compete for the starting nose tackle spot if he added some size. Between Alualu, Wormley, and Buggs, the team has three players who can play multiple positions along the line. So even though they don’t have superb depth behind Tuitt and Heyward, they at least have versatility. It would be beneficial to add a true nose tackle, though, and it might be a position the team could look to add via free agency.
The Predictions
Starters: Cameron Heywrad, Stephon Tuitt, Tyson Alualu
Depth players: Chris Wormley, Isaiah Buggs, Daniel McCullers
Miss the cut: Josiah Coatney, Dewayne Hendrix, Henry Mondeaux (practice squad potential), Calvin Taylor (practice squad potential), Carlos Davis (practice squad potential), Cavon Walker (practice squad potential)
Look for two of the final four players to be added to the team’s practice squad.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
