Yesterday, we wrote about one big concern with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense. While they may have potentially improved their roster in the long run, all the new defensive pieces could create growing pains to start the 2023 season. New faces in central communication roles trying to come together and play as a unit. At the end of the day, it’s a team sport, and collective talent trumps individual play.
But safety Minkah Fitzpatrick isn’t concerned about the defense’s chemistry. In fact, he thinks the unit is in a good place for this time of year, explaining that to reporters Wednesday.
“Now it’s just finding that chemistry,” he said as tweeted by The Trib’s Chris Adamski. “Learning how each other communicates, learning how each other sees the game. I think we’re doing a really good job. We’re definitely ahead of where I thought we’d be. So it’s exciting.”
From the free agency pool, those new names include a revamped inside linebacker room of Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, and Tanner Muse, though Muse is most likely to play on special teams instead of defense. Along the defensive line the Steelers signed NTs Armon Watts and Breiden Fehoko while the secondary brought in veterans Patrick Peterson and Keanu Neal.
Defense was a focus of the team’s draft, spending Day Two picks on CB Joey Porter Jr. and NT Keeanu Benton along with Day Three selections of LB Nick Herbig and CB Cory Trice Jr.
Combined, there’s plenty of new and moving pieces who will have to get adjusted to their new roles with their new teams. That creates a lack of continuity and potential for miscommunication, risking coverage busts and missed assignments. Pittsburgh’s defense has been successful in part due to having many of the same faces year after year. Longtime names like CB Cam Sutton and SS Terrell Edmunds along with trusted players like LB Robert Spillane are playing elsewhere, putting the pressure on this group to quickly gel.
It makes Fitzpatrick’s assignment encouraging. While Pittsburgh has new faces, the good news is there’s plenty of veterans who have played plenty of football, meaning the defense probably won’t have the growing pains the Steelers’ offense went through a year ago, the youngest offensive unit in the NFL. Still, while things sound good in June, the real test will come in Week One against a creative San Francisco 49ers’ offense.
