Realizing a problem in the room, the Pittsburgh Steelers thankfully didn’t allow their defensive line room to squander for another year. They finally took some significant steps to overhaul the group.
Gone was recurring disappointment Larry Ogunjobi, and in his place was a flurry of new names. While Derrick Harmon was the crown jewel given his first-round draft status, a pair of veteran signings in Daniel Ekuale and Esezi Otomewo also made the team.
However, heading into week one, the player of the group with the most eyes on him has to be the recently dubbed “Big Sexy” Yahya Black.
Taken in the fifth round, Black was given no guarantees as a rookie. He could have easily been a camp cut had he not stacked good practices. Instead, he flashed all summer and broke out in the final preseason game.
That said, the preseason isn’t the same as the regular season, and with Harmon set to miss this first game, Black easily has the most to lose ahead of week one.
Yahya Black needs to have a big week for the Pittsburgh Steelers
With Harmon sitting, the odds of Black seeing a significant role out of the gate are there. While Ekuale may see snaps as a regular defensive end and Isaiahh Loudermilk is still around on the roster, Black should see a healthy amount of snaps in week one.
Simply put, there are two ways this ends. One, the ideal scenario, is that Black flashes in his first game. This sets him up as the short-term starter while Harmon finishes healing up and top backup once he returns.
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However, if his performance falls flat, we could be looking at a radically different story. A quiet game, or worse, a noticeably bad game, and Black could slide down the depth chart. Pittsburgh has enough able bodies to keep Black on the sideline if needed.
There have been plenty of players who shine in the summer only to see their overall play falter once the regular season starts. Black needs to prove that he won’t let that happen to him.
He got a big break this week with Alijah Vera-Tucker getting injured, meaning he is playing center-turned-guard Joe Tippmann instead. That is a huge boost for his odds of making an impact.
It is put up or shut up time for Black, and his rookie season may depend on this game Sunday. Continue his strong play, and he can capture a role for the rest of the year. Struggle, and he could see more time on the bench for the remainder of the year.