4 Steelers who won’t be missed during the 2023 season

Malik Reed never found his footing with the Steelers

Malik Reed was a late addition to the Steelers roster, coming over from the Broncos for a swap of late-round picks. The trade made a lot of sense on paper, as Reed had been productive in years past and the Steelers needed a capable backup edge rusher. That said, his play was never anything more than average for this defense.

I do think a lot of this had to do with his size, as Reed is a notably small edge rusher. It made it hard for him to set the edge and hold up in the running game. While he could use some finesse moves to apply pressure, he was never a consistent force there either. Overall, it was a lackluster year for Reed.

It certainly wasn’t for a lack of trying, as Reed became the primary starter for the team after T.J. Watt was injured. Frankly, this team needs a capable backup edge that fits their scheme better than Reed. He almost certainly will walk this offseason, and that shouldn’t be a huge loss for this defense in 2023.