One of the biggest needs on the roster, here is a simple plan the Pittsburgh Steelers can follow to improve their defensive line in 2023.
One of the biggest falls from graces in recent years, the Steelers defensive line was a stout and elite group just three years ago. Javon Hargrave departed in free agency (and is now contending for a Super Bowl) while Stephon Tuitt’s career ended early due to the loss of his brother. Now, this group is a shell of what it used to be.
While Cameron Heyward is still the typical elite player, we have come to expect out of him, age will likely be slowing him down soon. Beyond him, there isn’t much that is concrete about this group. There are some young options and middling veterans, but there isn’t a certain starter beyond Heyward at this point.
Assessing the Steelers 2022 DL group
This was a group that, on paper, looked like it would be an ok unit. Tyson Alualu was set to return as the nose tackle after an impressive stint there before he was lost to injury in 2021. While the loss of Tuitt was a tough one, the team signed Larry Ogunjobi to provide some help along the line.
Depth wasn’t bad either. Montravius Adams had flashed in his short stint with the defense in 2022 while Chris Wormley was a steady second option at defensive end. Isaiahh Loudermilk had progressed as well during his rookie season. Finally, DeMarvin Leal was a third-round pick and a player with a lot of traits to like.
This group failed to meet expectations though, and here is a fool-proof plan to fix this unit in 2023.
What the Steelers should do in house
As of this writing, the only players from this group under contract are Heyward, Leal, Loudermilk, and Adams. Of that group, Heyward is the only one I’m counting on to see significant starting snaps in 2023.
That doesn’t mean Leal won’t have a role. At this point, my main focus with Leal would be making him an interior pass rusher for nickel and dime defense. That seems to be his best-fit long-term. He can also still kick around as a backup to various spots, but my goal for him would be for him to take on that pass rusher role in 2023.
Loudermilk and Adams are very replaceable options but should be carried to camp at least to see what this team has to offer in terms of depth. While many will say to cut Adams due to his slightly larger cap hit, he isn’t earning that much, and he provides you with some depth in the position. At least carry him through the draft to ensure you get the players you want at nose tackle.
From there, I expect Alualu to retire. He was pretty bad this season, and at his age, I doubt he wants to keep playing and have to relocate to do so. If he is adamant about playing though, it shouldn’t be in Pittsburgh.
I also wouldn’t actively try to resign Ogunjobi or Wormley. Ogunjobi was an above-average player, but he isn’t a great fit for a base end for this team given his size. He also has a lot of name value, and that earned him 8 million dollars last season. Frankly, I don’t think he was worth that much.
Wormley is a different story. I do think the team would be interested in bringing him back (more on that in free agency, but his torn ACL will likely limit him into the next season. Because of this, I think the team looks elsewhere.
How the Steelers should attack free agency
Like the offensive line write-up before, it would be great to get the top player along the line and sign him as a free agent. While I do believe the Steelers will be able to afford that player, I don’t think they will structure a contract with the guarantees that he will want that other teams will provide. Thus, Da’Ron Payne will not be a target.
While the Steelers need a capable nose tackle, I’m not signing one in free agency to a big contract. If they want to throw out some veteran minimum deals, by all means, go for it, but giving a huge deal to a player that is only playing 30-45% of your snaps doesn’t make sense. So sorry Hargrave, I don’t have you coming back in this plan.
I want a capable player that can serve as the other defensive end opposite Heyward. I have two routes outlined here. If the Steelers love a player in the draft, they can target a younger, more average player to start until a rookie is ready. If they have bigger needs in the draft, than a more expensive veteran is in order.
The best of that group, to me, would be Fletcher Cox. While age is slowly catching up to the Eagles superstar, he still knows how to disrupt the pocket and blow up running and passing plays. He would need to take a pay cut, but if he did, he would be a logical veteran to target.
The other, and the more likely option is Matt Ioannidis. While a little undersized, he is still a capable end that would be a valuable addition to this front. His pass rush has never been dynamic, but he has proven to be a capable run defender. I really like the fit as a stopgap until a rookie can take over.
I also want to highlight four other names that would make sense at the end but would definitely be replaced by a rookie sooner rather than later. John Cominsky, Dean Lowry, Taven Bryan, and Jerry Tillery all have the prototypical size the team covets at the end, but none are great starters.
Any of the four above would be brought in with the expectation that a defensive end is added early in the draft. Once the rookie is ready, the veteran would serve in the Wormley role as the primary rotational backup.
With this plan, I’m personally targeting Ioannidis on a two-year deal. He is a solid veteran that would be a huge improvement in the run game. He also gives you some draft flexibility, so the team wouldn’t be cornered into selecting an end early.
How the Steelers should attack the draft
Once draft day rolls around, nose tackle should be a primary option, and this draft is full of intriguing names. That said, none of them should be considered in the first round, and instead should be the target of one of the Steelers day two picks.
A name everyone gravitates towards is Siaki Ika due to his size. He would be a great run-stuffer but needs to trim down and get into better shape if he wants to survive at the pros. Another big man is Mazi Smith out of Michigan. A freak athlete with incredible size, he could be a great modern-day nose tackle if his play continues to improve as it did last season. Both will likely be second-day picks, and may even require the 32nd pick in the draft to be acquired.
Keeanu Benton is a personal favorite of mine as I included him in my first mock draft of the year. He has the size and run-stuffing ability to play nose while also having the size to kick to end if need be. He has been flashing already, so the Steelers will likely have to target him with one of their latter-day two picks.
The last name I want to highlight at nose tackle is Keondre Coburn out of Texas. Built similarly to the aforementioned Ika and Smith but less flashy as a player, Coburn is a throwback player. Thickly built, he will never be more than a two-down player but has the size to thrive in this defense. He would be my third-round target.
Looking more at defensive end, this is a harder position to gauge. While it depends on what the team does in free agency, I do think adding a more traditional end makes sense given Heyward’s age and lack of a clear plan across from him.
The best in this class is Bryan Bresee, who is a freak athlete with great potential but needs to become more consistent as a player. He will need some seasoning at the NFL level, but if the team wants him, it will have to be with their first-round pick.
Personally, I have Gervon Dexter circled with the Steelers later second-round pick. He has the size this team wants and has flashed at times during his short college career. He is extremely young and needs to develop, but he could be a great fit long-term at defensive end.
If the team wants a late-round defensive end, some names that make sense, based on their projected measurables, are Fabien Lovett, Dante Stills, or Jacob Slade. I’ll be honest, I haven’t watched much on them yet, but they have the size the Steelers like and would likely be developed into backups.
For this plan, I’m grabbing Dexter in the second round and some combination of Benton or Coburn in the third. This gives the team a lot of options heading into the 2023 season.
Steelers defensive line outlook in 2023
Following this simple plan, the Steelers would have both an improved and versatile defensive line to field in 2023. Heyward would be the unquestioned leader of the group given his status with the team. He would have some better running mates as well.
Ioannidis would be the primary defensive end across from Heyward. A very safe choice, he won’t be a dynamic pass rusher, but he should help stabilize the run defense. Dexter would be playing behind him and serve as a rotational backup until he is ready to start.
Whomever we draft at nose tackle should be the starter (ideally), while Adams is once again just a backup. He could easily be beaten out by someone else, so his roster spot is far from secure. Finally, Leal is a chess piece that is used primarily to rush the passer but also as depth at various different positions.
While not adding a dynamic free agent will mean some growing pains, I do think Ioannidis (or a player of similar quality) can hold their own until a younger player is available. Overall, this group would be leaps and bounds better than the unit that was used in 2022.