The Pittsburgh Steelers under GM Omar Khan did some serious work this offseason. We saw them overhaul the quarterback room with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. They added LB Patrick Queen from the Baltimore Ravens. The draft was nothing short of spectacular on paper.
Yet did the top-end talent of the roster change? Not according to Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus.After looking at every team’s top three players, he had T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, and Minkah Fitzpatrick tabbed for the Steelers.
“Watt was once again one the best defensive players in football, earning a 91.9 overall grade for the year as a strong Defensive Player of the Year candidate,” Sikkema wrote. “It was a down year, grades-wise, for Cameron Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick, who both missed significant time due to injury. When you look at the rest of the roster these are still the top three players on the team.”
Sikkema sees that the vanguard of veteran defensive players still represent the best the Steelers have to offer. Despite the addition of a Super Bowl-winning quarterback and a stellar inside linebacker, these three are the ones he views as the best.
There should be no arguments with Watt. He led the league in sacks in 2023 with 19 while also collecting another 19 tackles for a loss and 36 quarterback hits. He also chipped in one interception and three fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown.
Where things get interesting is with Sikkema’s “Also Considered” entry: Alex Highsmith. Per PFF, Highsmith had 50 quarterback hurries during the 2023 regular season to go with his seven sacks, 12 quarterback hits, and 69 total quarterback pressures. Despite not hitting double-digit sacks, Highsmith was an incredibly disruptive force for the Steelers.
At this stage in their careers, Highsmith is proving to be the more disruptive defender. Now Heyward brings a lot to the table as a veteran leader that cannot be discounted. Head coach Mike Tomlin said after the first day of OTAs that he and Heyward speak regularly both personally and as part of Heyward’s role as a leader on the team.
Yet it’s hard to say that Highsmith doesn’t have a bigger impact on the field at the moment, production-wise.
