Steelers that have the best shot to lead the team in sacks

The sack leaders for the Steelers could be a monumental contest for the 2022 season with all the talent on the roster, 

The Steelers have been the most consistent team in terms of leading the way in the pass rush department. Every year that comes along, this defense leads the league in sacks and getting after the quarterback. Their dominance as a group in that statistical advantage is something that many people have not given much thought to.

There have been many different talented players that have come through the doors to play for this franchise, especially on the defensive side of the ball. This club has kept that defensive dominance alive with the number of sacks that they are able to cause on a weekly basis. The defense has been a consistently disruptive group that will continue that trend in 2022.

T.J. Watt is the favorite to lead the Steelers in sacks and potentially the NFL

T.J. Watt is coming off a historic season after tying the sack record last year. He could be in store for another monster campaign as the best defensive player in the NFL is ready to go. The biggest issue with Watt — and this runs in their family — is the health status of them from week to week.

All three of them go full tilt on every down and that is hard for anybody to brace for. It will be tough for this player to get to the statistical numbers that he produced last season, especially with the type of talent that surrounds him. It will be a race to see who can get to the quarterback the fastest, but Watt should be the favorite to lead in this category again.

Alex Highsmith could be an underdog in his partners shadow

Alex Highsmith is entering a make-or-break year for him in terms of a starting role with this team. He had a decent start last year in his new role, but many are expecting him to take a step forward in 2022. He has been progressing nicely and should be able to get after the passer with certain matchups that will be presented to him.

Watt will be the main guy that offenses will be focused on blocking, so it will be up to Highsmith to help make an impact with one-on-one matchups. The hope is that he can turn into a Bud Dupree kind of player that can take advantage of those situations and create a nice one-two punch on the outside for this defense. Highsmith could get to double-digit sacks or more if he can make that next step this season.

Cam Heyward could take his game to another level for the Steelers

Cam Heyward continues to be underrated in the eye of most national media outlets. He is not named enough when people discuss the top defensive lineman in the NFL right now. He has been one of the most consistent and dominant forces across the league over the last handful of years.

Everything seems to be lining up for Heyward when it comes to him having one of his best seasons yet. His career has been nothing short of spectacular and he will have a shot at getting more accolades going his way. He is the leader of this unit and could start pushing for the sack leader if everything falls into place.

Larry Ogunjobi would be the biggest surprise heading into the year

The defensive line was a tough pill to swallow for the Steelers just a year ago. Things seem to be stabilizing some as different players either join or re-join the club since 2021 wrapped up. Larry Ogunjobi was a player that was brought onboard via free agency that could pay off big time for Pittsburgh.

He had some terrific seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals last year and the Cleveland Browns before that. He was a low-risk signing that could make some waves on this defense for the black and gold. He will not be Stephon Tuitt, but he has shown some quality ability to attack the opposing offense with his pass rush.

The Steelers could have a bunch of different options on the roster that push for the most sacks this season. There are a lot of talented pass rushers that should be able to cause havoc for opposing offenses each week.