Steelers pass-rushing depth will be tested if T.J. Watt misses Week 1
By Scott Long
With no Stephon Tuitt and possibly no T.J. Watt, the Steelers pass-rushing depth will be put to the test early this season.
T.J. Watt‘s continued holdout is a cloud hanging over the Pittsburgh Steelers entering the start of the 2021 season.
The team will already be without star defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt until at least Week 4 after he was placed on injured reserve before the season, and now Pittsburgh could be without Watt as well as he and the Steelers look to come to terms on a long term extension.
Watt is in the final year of his rookie contract and is looking for a deal that will make him the highest-paid defensive player in football. However, the two sides have yet to come to terms on this deal, and Week 1 is fast approaching, leaving many to question if Watt will be available during the team’s opening game against the Buffalo Bills.
If Watt is to miss the first game, the team will likely be looking at a starting front seven of:
- Defensive End: Cameron Heyward
- Nose Tackle: Tyson Alualu
- Defensive End: Chris Wormley
- Outside Linebacker: Alex Highsmith
- Inside Linebacker: Joe Schobert
- Inside Linebacker: Devin Bush
- Outside Linebacker: Melvin Ingram
Chris Wormley was brought in last offseason to provide depth, and he will slot into the starting role until Tuitt returns. Carlos Davis and Isaiah Buggs will also see extended playing time during Tuitt’s absence, as they will each move up a spot in the rotation.
Meanwhile, at outside linebacker, the Steelers came into the offseason with very little depth. However, the team brought in Melvin Ingram as a depth piece in the offseason, and while he won’t be as productive as Watt, he can likely handle the load during Watt’s absence.
Additionally, preseason standout Jamir Jones will now likely see an expanded role, as he is likely to be the first edge rusher to come into the game when either Highsmith or Ingram needs to rest.
It remains to be seen how the front seven will play if Watt and Tuitt both miss time, but the Steelers have brought in some quality depth which should help lessen the blow of potentially losing two of their best defensive players.
Much of the success of the defense in their absence will fall on both Heyward and Highsmith, while Wormley and Ingram performing at a high enough level in place of Tuitt and Watt is also crucial to the team’s success early in the season.