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The 5 most important players to the Pittsburgh Steelers future

By Tommy Jaggi

PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 02: T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after a defensive stop in the second quarter during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Heinz Field on December 2, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 02: T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after a defensive stop in the second quarter during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Heinz Field on December 2, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – OCTOBER 07: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons fumbles the ball as he is hit by T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth quarter during the game at Heinz Field on October 7, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – OCTOBER 07: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons fumbles the ball as he is hit by T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth quarter during the game at Heinz Field on October 7, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /

1. T.J. Watt, EDGE

Watt grabs my top spot of the ‘5 players most important to the Steelers future’ for several reasons.

T.J. Watt emerged as one of the better pass rushers in the league before his 24th birthday. By the end of the season in 2018, Watt was on fire. According to Pro Football Focus, no edge defender won at a higher rate as a pass rusher than T.J. Watt in weeks 13-16 last year.

Not only does T.J. Watt play one of the most important positions in the league, he’s already doing so at nearly an elite level. Watt is also embracing his role as a leader on the Steelers defense, and with his unmatched energy and love for the game, he is a player that his teammates are sure to rally around.

A good pass rusher can last a long time in this league. Watt only seems to be scratching the surface of his talent, and has an incredibly bright future ahead of him.

If faced with the difficult question of choosing between the players on this list, T.J Watt is the one that I would least be willing to give up. He will be a staple to the Steelers defense for a long time.

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There aren’t many things more important to your team’s success than routinely getting after the quarterback. Watt might be able to do that for the next decade in Pittsburgh.

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