Meaningful football is finally back. After getting bounced from the Wild Card round of the playoffs last year, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be scrapping and clawing to repair their reputation in 2024.
Keeping expectations reasonable is necessary if you're looking to avoid your favorite team causing you heartache, but it's not a crime to be optimistic. While I can't see Mike Tomlin hoisting the Lombardi Trophy this year, there are other ways this team could leave its stamp on the league.
The Steelers have plenty of players to get excited about entering the 2024 regular season, and some of them could outperform expectations. Here are seven bold predictions for the Pittsburgh Steelers this year.
T.J. Watt will win Defensive Player of the Year
This one isn't much of a stretch, as he's already done it before, but I believe T.J. Watt has a solid chance of bringing home his second Defensive Player of the Year award.
Watt was the NFL's DPOY following the 2021 season, and the Steelers' superstar finished top three in voting three times in his NFL career. Though he turns 30 years old this season, Watt still has plenty left in the tank, and he's a safe bet to lead the league in sacks for the fourth time in his career. If the Steelers have a top defense, that could be enough to sway the vote in his favor.
Payton Wilson emerges as a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate
It's not often you see third-round picks in the conversation for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Much of this is tied to opportunity. Though Payton Wilson won't be a full-time linebacker for the Steelers, my guess is that Mike Tomlin and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin are going to have a hard time keeping him off the field.
At 6'4'' with 4.43 speed, Wilson has an outstanding football IQ and the ability to make splash plays anywhere on the field. It's only going to take a few of these early in the season to carve out a significant role. Linebackers haven't frequented this list often over the past decade, but Wilson has the talent to make an impact right away.
Justin Fields is named Steelers' starting QB before the bye week
I know many fans have high hopes for Russell Wilson in 2024, but I'm not a believer. Yes, he will be better than Kenny Pickett, but talk about a low bar to clear. If Pittsburgh goes on a skid in the first half of the season, it may not take much to make a switch at quarterback.
Many in the media have expressed that Justin Fields is too dynamic of a football player to leave rotting on the bench. I tend to agree. The polarizing quarterback can do a lot of damage with his legs. When you combine that with a rock-solid defense, you've got a QB good enough to carry the team to success. Wilson could be on a short leash.
Steelers finish with a top-5 defense
Speaking of the defense, it's not hard to imagine the Steelers jumping back to the status they held in 2019 and 2020. Though this unit hasn't been quite the same over the past three seasons, they've taken steps in the right direction.
Pittsburgh's seen an influx of young talent join their defense in recent years. Players like Keeanu Benton, Joey Porter Jr., and Nick Herbig are poised for second-year leaps, while Payton Wilson has a chance to be an impact rookie. Meanwhile, free-agent additions Patrick Queen and DeShon Elliott could be pivotal pieces right away.
Nick Herbig outpaces Alex Highsmith in sacks
Alex Highsmith is one of the five best players on Pittsburgh's roster. He and T.J. Watt have already developed a reputation as one of the best edge rusher duos in the NFL. But now another name is added to the mix who could be even more explosive than Highsmith.
Nick Herbig is coming off a fantastic 2024 preseason, and he has been productive at every stage of football. Though the Wisconsin product is going to be coming off the bench, he'll be fresh when teeing off on quarterbacks in passing situations. Herbig has the speed, quickness, dip, bend, and pass-rush moves to be elite as a rusher and I won't be surprised if he tops Highsmith in the sack category this year.
Joey Porter Jr. cements himself as a lockdown cornerback in the NFL
Steelers fans are still split on Joey Porter Jr. While some are thrilled with his rookie performance, others don't believe he will be able to clean up his game enough to be a reliable asset.
Not only do I think Porter shows outstanding promise, but I'll go out on a limb by saying I think he can cement himself as one of the best lockdown cornerbacks in the NFL during the 2024 season. Porter has the size, length, and physicality to match up with top-flight receivers. If he can work on his grabbiness, he could take a leap forward this year.
Broderick Jones turns it around and looks like a budding star
This one is exceedingly bold, I know. What we witnessed from Broderick Jones in the 2024 preseason was disastrous. But even though nobody was encouraged by his performance, I'm not giving up hope yet.
Jones showed a tremendous amount of promise as a rookie. If the Steelers are willing to play him at his natural position at left tackle, we could see new life in the young offensive tackle. The mechanics and technique have been beyond ugly, and Jones needs to clean up his game. If he does, he's got the traits you bet on at the position.