Will the Steelers’ defensive line depth push Yahya Black into a smaller role this season?
As a rookie in 2025, Steelers DL Yahya Black played more than 400 snaps, a number influenced by the injuries of others. I don’t imagine Pittsburgh envisioned that kind of workload for him as a rookie, but what about this year? The reality is they bolstered the defensive line and created competition, so what happens now?
Obviously, the big move the Steelers made was signing Sebastian Joseph-Day, who figures to directly eat into some snaps that Yahya Black might otherwise get. Capable of playing up and down the line, Joseph-Day could be the first lineman off the bench in all circumstances.
Last year, the Steelers had Black starting some games, largely thanks to fellow rookie Derrick Harmon missing time. Presumably, Harmon will have better luck this year, which should translate to fewer opportunities for the reserves. Of course, it also hinges upon others staying healthy, though both Cam Heyward and Keeanu Benton have a strong track record in that regard, so it’s more than plausible that those patterns continue.
While the Steelers obviously liked Yahya Black coming out, I don’t know that they saw him as a 500-snap player. Maybe they did—I actually have been wrong before. But what I do know is that Pittsburgh has accumulated depth. While Isaiahh Loudermilk is gone, they still have Logan Lee and Esezi Otomewo. They also drafted Gabriel Rubio and may anticipate re-signing Dean Lowry.
Another wrinkle in this discussion concerns exactly how the Steelers see Black. Do they view him primarily as a defensive end or a defensive tackle? Do they intend to lean on his flexibility, which is a major theme for this coaching staff? Or do they want to try to develop more of a run-stuffing player, which they otherwise don’t really have? He is their best shot at having such an option, so perhaps they want to consider it. And how would that affect his playing time? Well, that would depend on the game circumstances. The better he plays, the less frequently teams would want to run on them.
The Steelers have a long road ahead of them under Mike McCarthy, along with his cadre of quarterbacks.With seven consecutive postseason losses and no wins in nearly a decade, they are under fire for their repeated playoff failures. While we have seen many changes, none could dream of topping Mike Tomlin resigning.
We’re already deep into the offseason, with free agency and the draft already reshaping rosters. The Steelers, of course, are used to early offseason mode as a team thatloses by the middle of January all the time. Enjoy the ride, even the turbulence, because it’s the only way we know how to travel anymore.
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