2022 Steelers may look very different from 2021 team

The Steelers defense may undergo a major overhaul

If we’re being completely objective about the state of the Steelers defense as we sit here today, I think it’s fair to say that we have some challenges with respect to stopping the run and preventing our opponents from scoring.

According to ESPN, through thirteen games of the 2021 season, the vaunted Steelers defense is ranked twenty-seventh in average yards per game, fourteenth in average passing yards per game, and thirtieth in average rushing yards per game.

Those rankings are awful, to put it mildly.  I foresee a scenario where we are looking to replace SS, CB, ILB, DT, DE, and OLB.  Again, those replacements could come via the draft, via free agency, or both.  Regardless of where the players come from, there will be an overhaul of the defense.

Hopefully, the Steelers defense will get a boost with injured starters such as Tyson Alualu and Stephon Tuitt returning in 2022, but that is something that we cannot count on.  The Steelers would be wise to prepare for all contingencies.

If we want to get back to anything resembling the Steel Curtain, we need to be completely objective and realize that the players we currently have on defense are collectively not able to uphold the standard that is the Steelers defense.

It’s not like we don’t have legitimate superstars on defense, it’s just that we don’t have superstar backup players.  I realize that sounds counterintuitive, but great defenses have both quality starters and quality backups.

Let’s see what other changes may take place.