Will D-Line Depth Be Pittsburgh’s Achilles Heel?
Photo Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
As training camp begins, Steeler Nation is fully expecting to see another elite Pittsburgh defense in 2023. While those expectations may be warranted, the defensive line depth remains a point of serious concern. General manager Omar Khan attempted to address the need in the off-season, and now we’re about to find out if the ragtag bunch he’s assembled can help the defense live up to their lofty expectations.
Let’s look at the pieces and have an honest discussion about their potential.
The New Guys
While fans clamored for former Steeler Javon Hargrave, his massive $84 million deal with the San Francisco 49ers ended up being too steep. GM Omar Khan started with some small moves, bringing in veterans Breiden Fehoko and Armon Watts.
No disrespect to Watts and Fehoko, but if they end up being significant contributors along the defensive line this defense is in trouble. Of 127 qualifying defensive linemen in 2022, Pro Football Focus gave Fehoko and Watts the same grade of 49.2, tying them at 102nd. For reference, that was barely better than Montravius Adams.
The Forgotten Men
Speaking of Adams, people have been quick to dismiss the journeyman this offseason, but it’s not like the above mentioned signings are massive upgrades. He joins Isaiahh Loudermilk, a player who hasn’t really developed in his first two seasons in Pittsburgh, as relatively irrelevant depth. Selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Loudermilk saw his playing time significantly decrease in 2022.
The Re-signing
After missing out on Hargrave, the team felt it was crucial to keep one of their own guys and reached an agreement with Larry Ogunjobi.
The Steelers got Ogunjobi on a steal of a deal last offseason after he failed a physical with the Chicago Bears. The talented lineman struggled with injuries in 2022, but his upside was enough for Khan to give him a three-year, $28.75 million deal.
The deal was met with a fair amount of criticism. ESPN graded it a C, stating:
“Defensive tackles around the league are (rightfully) getting paid, but I don’t see it with Ogunjobi. He had seven sacks for the Bengals in 2021, but his 7% pass rush win rate ranked 39th out of 53 qualifying defensive tackles, which suggests those sacks might have been a fluke.
For the Steelers last season, Ogunjobi’s win rate dropped even further to 6%, which ranked 46th among 54 defensive tackles, and he had just 1.5 sacks. His 36% run-stop win rate is above average but not exceptional — he ranked 22nd of 68 qualifying tackles. That’s just not a profile of a player I would want to be paying real money for, which is what the Steelers just did.”
All of these potentially underwhelming moves bring us to the man who may be more relied upon than is realistic.
The Draft Pick
With multiple needs, the Steelers had the ability to go a few different ways in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. They chose O-line and waited to address the D-line until their third pick, selecting Keeanu Benton 49th overall. Now the pressure may be on the rookie to produce in a big way. In fact, his success (or lack thereof) could end up being the key to the whole defensive line.
Mike Tomlin believes Benton has the potential to be a difference maker. “We have to play with a certain collective demeanor. But we’ve also got to play and play to win and that means not beating yourself. So that means bringing a certain level of intellect to the physicality,” Tomlin said. “You guys know he’s a sharp guy. He conducts business with you guys every day and does it at a very high level, but to be able to do those things and play the game with a certain edge, a certain demeanor, is things that we covet.”
If Benton breaks out and looks like the steal of the draft, a weak spot on the defense quickly becomes a strength. If he’s a non-factor, the line could face an uphill battle, especially if they end up dealing with any injury concerns.
The front office has invested a lot of money in the defense, the fourth-most in the NFL. You can’t have superstars and high-priced contracts everywhere. Somewhere on your roster, someone who isn’t expected to step up big needs to do just that. If Omar Khan can get that out of his new rookie, or one or two of these other depth guys, Pittsburgh could surprise a lot of people.
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