Last season, Pittsburgh Steelers OLB T.J. Watt only played 10 snaps on the right side, as he’s largely only played on the left with Alex Highsmith manning the right side. Watt admitted that the lack of side-to-side movement, which has become more of a trend in recent years, is due to his own stubbornness. But with Patrick Graham coming on as defensive coordinator and implementing his system, Watt believes he – and everyone else – is going to move around a lot more
“I think in the past, it’s a little bit more of me being stubborn. I think this new system allows a lot of this built in, so I really can’t say no. I have to move with it. A lot of us are interchangeable parts. You’re not just learning your position. You have to learn the whole defensive front structure. We all are basically interchangeable; we do different things, so I think you’re going to see a lot more movement out of not just me, but the whole front,” Watt told the media today via video from Post-Gazette Sports on YouTube.
The Steelers have experimented, albeit rarely, with Watt and Highsmith switching sides in the past, but it’s only been a handful of snaps, and it hasn’t been anything that’s stuck as a legitimate part of the team’s game plan. The reasoning is fairly simple – Highsmith explained a few years ago that he has moves that work better on the right, while Watt has moves that work better on the left.
Because of that, it’s fair to understand why Watt hasn’t been as amenable to switching sides. But there are advantages, as offensive linemen would have to account for multiple rushers. Even if certain moves work better on one side, offensive linemen can still counter them the more they see them as the game goes on. Facing off against a different player can counteract that and keep the opposition on its toes.
It’s interesting how Watt described the defensive front as “interchangeable.” There have been hints of potential change over the past few weeks, with Domato Peko noting that Keeanu Benton can play anywhere across the defensive line and Mike DeFabo believing the Steelers will be “unique” in their usage of Nick Herbig. With how Watt described it, it sounds as if players are going to be moving around a lot more.
With how the Steelers’ defense has underperformed relative to their talent, change should be a positive thing. It certainly sounds as if Watt has bought into the idea of moving around more, and it’s going to be interesting to see exactly how Graham utilizes the front seven to try and maximize the talent the Steelers have.
Recommended for you