The Pittsburgh Steelers, as currently constructed, are a defensive team. While there’s been an effort to improve the offense this offseason, the strength of the team still lies on the defensive side of the ball. Even if the recent results haven’t been ideal defensively, there’s enough talent on paper to inspire confidence that a new coaching staff can help turn the corner. According to Bleacher Report’s power rankings, the Steelers head into the season with the 10th-best defense in the NFL.
“If he’s healthy and close to 100 percent, T.J. Watt remains one of the most feared edge-rushers in the game,” Gary Davenport wrote for Bleacher Report. “Fellow edge rushers Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig combined for 17 sacks last season, and the ageless Cameron Heyward was a second-team All-Pro inside. On the back end, the team already had cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Joey Porter Jr., who had a passer rating against of less than 60 last year. In free agency the Steelers added veteran cornerback Jamel Dean and safety Jaquan Brisker, who had two 100-stop seasons in four years with the Bears.”
In signing Nick Herbig to an extension this week, Pittsburgh confirmed its commitment to a strong pass rush. Watt, Highsmith, and Herbig offer the Steelers a dangerous trio which can disrupt opposing offenses and make life easier for the rest of the defense.
Though Pittsburgh’s defense is highly paid and star-studded, the results haven’t been satisfactory. Last season, the Steelers ranked 26th in total yards allowed per game, and 29th in passing yards allowed per game.
The secondary was a major work in progress during the 2025 season. Players who entered the season figuring to have prominent roles, like Darius Slay and Juan Thornhill, were released well before the end of the year. An injury to DeShon Elliott, combined with his declining speed as an outside corner, forced Jalen Ramsey to move to safety. Unexpected contributions from players like James Pierre eventually brought stability to the secondary, but communication issues and coverage lapses continued to plague the defense as a whole.
Under new a defensive coordinator in Patrick Graham, the expectations for the unit will be high. Especially since the team kept its core players together, and added potential impact players in Jaquan Brisker and Jamel Dean to the secondary. If Graham and his defensive staff can improve on fundamentals like communication and tackling, the Steelers’ defense has enough talent to become one of the top units in the league, as Bleacher Report suggests in their power rankings.
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