ESPN continued its series with NFL scouts, coaches and executives ranking the top players at each position group, and Cameron Heyward continued his steady, year-to-year fall down the list. After ranking No. 5 in 2022, Heyward fell to No. 9 last season, and ahead of 2024, he’s in the honorable mention category.
“Still a very good all-around player with power, and an obvious locker room leader. Age is a factor [35] but [he] has to be accounted for on every snap, still very powerful,” an anonymous NFL coordinator said.
Heyward had an injury-plagued 2023 and played through pain even after he returned from his core muscle injury, but he never lost his power. He remained Pittsburgh’s best run-defender last season despite not being fully healthy, and even though he’s 35 years old, he’s still an anchor for Pittsburgh’s defensive line.
Despite not cracking the top 10 on this list, there’s no reason that Heyward can’t play like a top-10 defensive tackle in 2024, especially now that he’s healthy. Heyward is looking for a new contract, one that will likely pay him among the top NFL defensive tackles. If he does sign, the motivation of a new contract could push Heyward, and if the team doesn’t sign him, playing out a contract year and wanting to put some good football on tape before potentially hitting the free agent market could also be a motivating factor.
Really, age being a factor is a big reason why Heyward likely didn’t crack the top 10. Missing time with an injury last season and the Steelers making a point to be more cautious with him and try to limit some of his snaps means he’s not playing as much as some of the guys on the list, but when he does play, his power really shows. If he gets back to being a strong pass rusher this season and excels in the run game like he did last season, Heyward will remain one of the best defensive tackles in football and a really key piece for the Steelers.
With Pittsburgh having two talented edge rushers in Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt, being able to get push up the middle from someone like Heyward makes the pass rush that much more potent. It’s one of the reasons why Pittsburgh’s defense has been so good. If Heyward can find his pass-rush juice again, the Steelers’ defense could be elite.
Chris Jones topped the list at No. 1, while Quinnen Williams, Dexter Lawrence II, Jeffery Simmons and Justin Madubuike rounded out the top five.
