**Will the Steelers have a dominant front seven on defense again?**
While the Steelers have some blue-chip stars at the heart of their defense, the unit as a whole has struggled. No matter what T.J. Watt or Cameron Heyward do, weak links at times cause the entire unit to suffer. With some reinforcements and growth this upcoming season, will they finally return to dominance?
The biggest change along the front seven is along the defensive line, opposite Heyward. This offseason, the Steelers released Larry Ogunjobi and drafted Derrick Harmon to their defense. The first-round pick should be an immediate starter, as nose tackle Keeanu Benton enters his third season.
At linebacker, the Steelers defense is, of course, spoiled with Watt and Alex Highsmith. Even there, they provided reinforcements with Jack Sawyer added to Nick Herbig as depth. Add Patrick Queen going into his second season with the team and as signal-caller, and with Payton Wilson going into Year 2, and there is reason for optimism about the front seven improving.
Of course, arguably the big worry is whether that growth arrives in time. Heyward has been the heart of the Steelers’ defense for a long time, and he played like an All-Pro last year. But will this be the year that he struggles, and will Watt have a more consistent season?
One can argue that the Steelers improved depth on defense, which will aid their aging centerpieces. They still have too many defensive linemen to know what to do with, and they mostly play in nickel, anyway. If Heyward needs a break, they now have Harmon to take snaps next to Benton. At outside linebacker, they’re already looking for more playing time for Herbig, and now Sawyer is in the mix, too.
As with any defense, though, the Steelers will only be as strong as their weakest links. Do they have the secondary to take advantage of a robust front seven? Can Joey Porter Jr. take a step forward this year, and has Darius Slay lost a step too many? Have they figured out how to effectively handle the slot, with one or multiple players? And for that matter, can we recover the old Minkah Fitzpatrick, whose playmaking ability has gone missing?
_The Steelers are rebuilding, or reloading, whatever they feel the need to call it, after another disappointment last season. Though they limped into the playoffs, they once again embarrassed themselves therein._
_Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is_ [_the quarterback question_](https://steelersdepot.com/2025/04/schrager-thinks-steelers-passing-on-qb-in-1st-round-means-theyre-all-in-on-aaron-rodgers/)_. While they ultimately traded George Pickens, they have other decisions to make. The_ [_2025 NFL Draft class_](https://www.steelers.com/draft/) _is now behind us, so most of the roster construction is complete._
_But we still have a long offseason ahead for Steelers football, or football in shorts. Certain will-he-or-won’t-he situations remain in play, which we continue to monitor. Now it’s about evaluating the roster in place and filling holes as we go._