Stephon Tuitt officially retired and now the Steelers will be figuring out who will replace him.
Stephon Tuitt was a rising star in the NFL with great production during his last season playing for the Steelers. Mental health and focus on family are very important and that is why this star player decided to retire at the young age of 29 years old. He left on his own terms and that is something that many NFL players do not get a chance to do.
He now leaves a hole in this defensive front that struggled to replace him in 2021. The subtraction of Tuitt was already a tough hill to climb, but then injuries occurred. Depth players were raised to starting spots and others behind them struggled to play above the line.
The run defense severely struggled because of this and that led to one of the worst in the NFL last year. There are returning players from injury and some other younger guys that should be able to lessen the blow more than last season. It is going to be a task that will show some warts at times this year, but this is not a death sentence for the club.
Isaiahh Loudermilk needs to make a leap in year two with the Steelers
Isaiahh Loudermilk is one of the players that will be under the watchful eye of the Steelers coaching staff during the pre-season. They are expecting a lot from this second-year player out of Wisconsin. They invested a fifth-round pick, by trading up, in the 2021 draft because they believe this player can become a starter.
He has worked hard during the offseason and added more weight to a level that Pittsburgh likes their linemen to play at. Loudermilk was one of the best defenders against the run during his rookie season, but he needs to work on his pass rush abilities. If he can figure that out, then he could be a surprise starter at some point this season.