The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense is among the best in the NFL, and the group got better this offseason with the addition of Patrick Queen in free agency. Queen pairs with fellow All-Pro T.J. Watt in Pittsburgh, and joins a defense that also has other former All-Pros in Minkah Fitzpatrick and Cameron Heyward. Sports Illustrated ranked each defensive “triplet” in the NFL, essentially whoever they pick as the team’s three best defenders, and Pittsburgh’s trio of Queen, Watt, and Fitzpatrick ranked fifth in the NFL.
“After a career year in 2023, Queen left the shadow of Roquan Smith this offseason and joined the Ravens’ biggest rivals. Queen recorded a career-high 133 total tackles and added 3.5 sacks and one interception last season. He’ll now look to make life easier for Watt and Fitzpatrick, two elite players at their positions,” Gilberto Manzano wrote.
Despite the fifth-place ranking, it actually came in third in the AFC North, with the Cleveland Browns’ trio of Myles Garrett, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Denzel Ward ranking fourth and the Baltimore Ravens leading the pack with Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton and Justin Madubuike. I don’t necessarily agree with putting Cleveland ahead of Pittsburgh, but the Steelers did get some respect overall in the rankings.
It is interesting to see the trio that SI went with since they could’ve conceivably replaced Queen with Alex Highsmith or Cameron Heyward. Even though Heyward is coming off a season where he was hampered by injury, he’s still shown his strength and should get back to being one of the best defensive players in football this year. Highsmith is one of the most underrated pass rushers in the game and is a key difference-maker on Pittsburgh’s defense, but given Queen’s recent All-Pro status, I can understand why he was the choice.
Queen will look to solidify a linebacker room in Pittsburgh that’s struggled to find any measure of consistency over the past few years. Injuries and general poor play have caused the position to become a perpetual need for the Steelers. The team hopes that Queen can change that.
Like Heyward, Fitzpatrick also missed time with injuries last season, and he didn’t have the statistical season we’re used to seeing out of him. But he’s a high-IQ player who is incredibly important for Pittsburgh’s defense when he’s on the field, and he could also have a big 2024.
Watt is the best pass rusher in the NFL, and his inclusion on the list comes as little surprise. He’s so hard to stop and he’s a game-wrecker on defense with his ability to get to the quarterback.
The New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers joined the Browns and Ravens as teams with a better defensive trio than the Steelers. While all four teams ahead of Pittsburgh do have immensely talented players on defense, if Pittsburgh’s defense and their top guys are clicking, they could go up against anyone in the league. It’s going to be fun to see how things look with the team healthy and Queen in the mix in 2024.
