The entire Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense struggled during the home stretch of the 2024 season. If there was one unit that struggled the most, though, it was Pittsburgh’s defensive line. That’s a spot Pittsburgh targeted heavily this offseason, especially during the NFL Draft. ESPN’s Kevin Clark thinks the unit has improved so much that it’s up there with the Philadelphia Eagles, in consideration for the best defensive line in the league.
“For me, it’s not them going in on Rodgers, it’s getting Rodgers because they’re going all-in on their defense, and their core, which is aging,” Clark said on First Take on Wednesday, in regards to the biggest takeaway from the Steelers’ offseason. “You’re not gonna get Cam Heyward for too much longer. You’re not gonna have T.J. Watt playing at this level for that much longer. They have, probably, along with Philadelphia, the best defensive line in football. They’re going all-in on that.”
The Steelers seem to be viewing next offseason as a retooling period. They’ve got a few key players with contracts set to expire after the 2025 season, and have a boatload of draft picks in their arsenal next year. Yet, they’re also trying to win now. Part of the reason for that may be due to the age of T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward, as Clark suggests.
Neither of those players are getting younger, but each can still play at a high level. Coming off a contract extension last summer, Heyward turned back the clock and put together an impressive season despite turning 35 last year. Although Watt had a down year statistically, for his standards at least, he still had 11.5 sacks and 19 tackles for a loss.
The good news is that those two don’t have to carry most of the weight anymore. Although they certainly need to play well, Pittsburgh’s rounding out their defensive line this offseason. Look no further than the 2025 Draft as proof that it was one of the front office’s top priorities. The Steelers selected Derrick Harmon in the first round, Jack Sawyer in the fourth, and Yahya Black in the fifth.
Up the middle, the Steelers are now much more stout. Derrick Harmon should have a big role in his rookie season, and Yahya Black brings some help against the run. Each also have the luxury of learning from one of the greatest Steelers ever in Cam Heyward.
On the edge, the Steelers also have impressive depth. Top-three edge rushers in Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig, return, although Watt and the Steelers still need to come to an agreement. Now a rookie like Sawyer, similar to Harmon and Black, has the chance to learn behind three quality players at his position.
With those three draft picks, the Steelers have put themselves in a good spot. If players like Keeanu Benton, Logan Lee or DeMarvin Leal take steps forward, it will be even better. They still need to develop well, but for now it looks like a good foundation for the future. And Pittsburgh still has the talent across their defensive line to win now as well. As the Steelers attempt to contend and retool simultaneously, the defensive line might be the best example of those efforts.
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