The Steelers are now back at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, facing down a long regular season that looks a lot more promising given how things have gone leading up to it. Finishing just above .500 last year, they anticipate being able to compete with any team in the league this season with second-year QB Kenny Pickett leading the way.
They’ve done a great deal to address what they identified as their shortcomings during the offseason, which included addressing the offensive and defensive lines as well as the secondary and the inside linebacker room, which is nearly entirely different from last year. The results have been positive so far.
Even well into the regular season and beyond, there are going to be plenty of questions that need answered. When will the core rookies get to play, or even start? Is the depth sufficient where they upgraded? Can they stand toe-to-toe with the Bengals and the other top teams in the league? We’ll try to frame the conversation in relevant ways as long as you stick with us throughout the season, as we have for many years.
Question: Will Cameron Heyward’s injury doom the defense like T.J. Watt’s last year?
From the sounds of it, veteran DL Cameron Heyward is going to miss extensive time after suffering a groin injury in the season opener that will require surgery. A timetable for his return will not be relayed until after the surgery takes place, but it seems likely he will miss at least a couple months.
Given that he was still playing at a Pro Bowl level just last season, Heyward’s absence could have a devastating effect on the defense as a whole. While the Steelers endeavored to improve their depth in this area, it is more than fair to question if they have enough to hold down the fort.
Initial impressions indicate that the offense is not about the blossom into a top-five scoring unit by the end of the week, so the defense is still going to have to carry its share of the load. Without one of their best players, can they piece things together?
In my mind, rookie Keeanu Benton will be the key to answering that question. He is probably the most talented player in that room right now, lacking only in experience. He played well overall in his couple dozen snaps in the first game, and his role will inevitably increase.
Pittsburgh will also rely on DeMarvin Leal, assuming he is healthy, and Isaiahh Loudermilk, with Armon Watts another option after he spent the opener as a healthy scratch. But we’re still only talking about the defensive line.
The linebackers have to play better than they did last week, at least the inside linebackers do. The secondary, as a whole, needs to play better. Even All-Pro S Minkah Fitzpatrick was not without a blemish or two on the day. There is still a lot of upside in this unit. But how high does their ceiling remain without Heyward?
