Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2023 season is getting underway after the team finished above .500 but failing to make the postseason last year, we turn our attention to the next chapter of Steelers football and everything that entails. One thing that it means is that some stock evaluations are going to start taking on more specific contexts as we get into the season, reflecting more immediate plusses and minus rather than trends over long periods. The nature of the evaluation, whether short-term or long-term, will be noted in the reasoning section below.
Player: DL Cameron Heyward
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: Officially activated from the Reserve/Injured List yesterday, Heyward is set to make his return tonight against the Tennessee Titans. He missed the past six games due to a groin injury that was aggravated in the season opener—but not as much as the defense missed him. Even if on a pitch count, he should be a major addition not a moment too soon. At least, one hopes not too soon.
The Steelers defense has relied heavily on star power, and arguably increasingly so, for some time. Sure, a couple of key injuries in 2009, for example, may have torpedoed that season, but recent years have really driven the point home just how critical it is for this unit to have its playmakers in order to function even modestly.
And, wouldn’t you know it, they have hardly played a down with their three All-Pros. DL Cameron Heyward went down with a groin injury in the season opener. He is returning to the lineup today, but will be missing S Minkah Fitzpatrick, so the band is still not back together.
While Fitzpatrick will be missed, they did win without him twice a year ago. Heyward’s return will help mitigate that loss by helping to keep the Tennessee Titans defense one-dimensional and putting the pressure on rookie QB Will Levis—figuratively and literally.
It’s hard to predict how much he might play coming back on a short week, but you can bet interior linemen like Aaron Brewer and Daniel Brunskill are going to have their hands full this week. One would hope that he is coming back with fresh legs as well.
In case a reminder was needed, Heyward was a Pro Bowler last season, recording 10.5 sacks along with 23 quarterback hits. He had 74 tackles overall with 14 tackles for loss and a forced fumble with four passed defensed. From just a performance standpoint alone, he has been sorely missed, not to mention his leadership and knowledge.
His return should benefit all of those around him by occupying more attention than his replacements have gotten. No knock on Larry Ogunjobi and Keeanu Benton, but having Heyward and T.J. Watt on the same side of the field is what this defense needs. And not to mention, he is elite executing stunts that get his teammates free rushes. You can never have too many of those.
