PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The talent is there. The contracts are huge and now the pressure is on to make the Steelers defense elite.
Last year the Steelers allowed 20.4 points per game, that was tied for 10th in the NFL. Must improve in 2023. The 330.4 yards per game was 13th barely ahead of Cleveland. Tied for 14th in sacks, granted the TJ Watt injury impacted, but they must find ways to get to the quarterback. While the interceptions were tied for the NFL lead, the nine forced fumbles were second-to-last.
There was the aforementioned Watt injury along with safety Damontae Kazee. DT Larry Ogunjobi and LB Myles Jack played through injuries.
There were depth issues at outside linebacker and defensive line. No excuses for 2023, considering the money spent this defense. It must be top five or coaching changes need to be made.
So many of the offseason moves were about the defense. Re-signing Ogunjobi for $9.5 million a season, the $17 million per season contract extension to OLB Alex Highsmith and keeping Kazee to start in place Terrell Edmunds. GM Omar Khan brought in a pair of free agent middle linebackers who will immediately start and should make that group better. The adding of future Hall of Fame corner Patrick Peterson along with safety Keanu Neal. In the draft-32nd overall pick, corner Joey Porter, Junior, nose tackle Keeanu Benton, outside linebacker Nick Herbig and the flyer on corner Cory Trice, Jr, who was slotted much higher than the seventh round.
Only the Chargers, by $62,000, spent more on their defense this season than the Steelers. Their approach is to have a shutdown defense while the offense grows. Mike Tomlin came through the coaching ranks mostly as a defensive assistant and then defensive coordinator. The pieces are in place for Tomlin, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and the other assistants, some of whom are new or at least in different roles.
They don't have Brian Flores to bounce ideas off of this year. The former Miami head coach, and once the leader of the Patriots defense, left to become the Vikings defensive coordinator. The replaced long-time assistant Jerry Olsavsky with Aaron Curry to coach the middle linebackers. The 37-year-old was the Butkus Award winner in 2008 and spent the last four seasons with Seattle. Entering his seventh season with the Steelers, Denzel Martin moves into the lead role as outside linebackers coach. Pittsburgh is Martin's only NFL job, he graduated in 2014 after playing linebacker Missouri. Secondary coach Grady Brown has coached for over two decades, but he's in his second year with the Steelers and in the NFL.
Last year, before the Kazee injury, Austin said he thought he might be able to be very creative with his schemes, the talk was of him being a mad scientist with the defense. Now with a healthy Kazee, versatile Neal and Tre Norword and potential to move Peterson around. Think of the options you can come up with to confuse an opposing offense.
The signings were made. Four of the seven draft choices were defensive players including a pair of second rounders. The depth is markedly better. Now it's time for Tomlin and his coaching staff to show what they can do.
