Throughout much of the offseason, the EDGE position for the Pittsburgh Steelers — particularly from a depth standpoint — was a major concern behind stars T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.
Funny what one signing can do, though.
Pittsburgh brought in veteran Markus Golden on a one-year deal in mid-May, solidifying the depth behind Watt and Highsmith. Now, the EDGE position in Pittsburgh is viewed as the team’s strength, at least according to Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano.
In a piece previewing the Steelers’ season in 2023, Manzano identified the EDGE position as the clear strength on the roster, thanks to Watt and Highsmith.
“The Steelers missed Watt down the stretch last season, but it was an opportunity for Alex Highsmith, who notched a career-high 14.5 sacks, to prove he can handle being a No. 1 edge rusher. Now with a healthy Watt and the emerging Highsmith, the Steelers could have one of the best pass-rushing duos in the league,” Manzano writes. “Watt recorded only five sacks after sitting out the final seven games due to injury, but it wasn’t that long ago that he had 22.5 sacks and won Defensive Player of the Year in 2021.”
So much wrong with that, clearly, from Manzano, considering Watt missed seven of the first eight games of the year before returning to play in every game down the stretch. Aside from that mistake from Manzano, it is pretty interesting that he considers the EDGE position the Steelers’ strength overall.
Granted, when healthy Watt remains arguably the best pass rusher in football. He’s just one season removed from a 22.5 sack season, tying the NFL’s single-season sacks record while also winning the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award that season. Opposite him, Highsmith has truly come into his own, culminating in a 14.5-sack season in 2022, though he was much more impactful with Watt on the field than when he wasn’t available due to injury.
Combined, the two have recorded 65.5 sacks in three seasons from 2020 when Highsmith was drafted, until now. Watt had a historic year in 2021, recording 22.5 sacks to tie the single-season sacks record with Michael Strahan, while Highsmith put up 6.0 sacks opposite him and really developed into a key run defender that season.
In 2022, things got off to a fast start as Watt and Highsmith wrecked the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 with Highsmith recording 3.0 sacks to open the season while Watt recorded a sack and an interception in the overtime win over the AFC North rivals. However, Watt was injured late in that win and missed the next seven games. He returned in Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints after the Steelers’ Week 9 bye.
