The last time that we took a look back at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster, it was weeks before the 2024 NFL Draft took place. It would be safe to say that quite a bit has changed since then, at almost every position on the roster. Some are major changes and some minor, though some have remained largely if not completely static.
We are closing in on the opening of the Steelers’ several weeks of training camp. We expect to see significant competition in Latrobe, so it would be a good time to pause and take stock. Where are the most significant position battles, and who are the participants?
Position: Outside Linebacker
Total Positional Figure: 8
Additions: 2
Deletions: 0
Players Retained:
T.J. Watt: Do we even have to say anything about T.J. Watt anymore? Let’s just enjoy watching him play while we can. One of the greatest Steelers players of all time and he’s far from done.
Alex Highsmith: While his 2023 statistics didn’t show it, Alex Highsmith played as well last year as he did in 2022. With Watt, he offers the Steelers arguably the best pass-rushing tandem in the NFL. And both are complete players against the run and in coverage, to boot.
Nick Herbig: A fourth-round pick a year ago, Nick Herbig offered the Steelers great efficiency in limited opportunities. He recorded three sacks, for example, while playing under 200 defensive snaps. Some are viewing him as a future starting-quality player, but he is stuck behind two quality starters. His future prospects are likely why the Steelers did not re-sign Markus Golden.
David Perales: A college free agent last year, Perales is still around, so the Steelers must like him a bit. He feels he has grown heading into his second season, and with the fourth outside linebacker spot wide open, why not him?
Jeremiah Moon: The Steelers picked up Jeremiah Moon off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens at the end of last season. A former college free agent, he has minimal playing experience, yet he forced two fumbles against the Steelers last year. In the first game, he knocked the ball loose from Gunner Olszewski, and in the final, got the better of Jaylen Warren.
Kyron Johnson: You might not remember Kyron Johnson, but he played over 100 snaps for the Steelers last season. Granted, almost all of them were on special teams, which most people don’t pay attention to. Not a super productive college player, he is a former sixth-round pick.
Players Added:
Jacoby Windmon: A former college standout, Windmon missed most of the 2023 season due to injury and his stock fell. The Steelers signed him as a free agent after the draft. While undersized, he has the resume and tape to compete for the fourth outside linebacker spot.
Julius Welschof: The guy they called a “big son of a gun”, Welschof is the Steelers’ International Pathway Player from Germany. Despite his immigration status, he played at Michigan and Charlotte. He is another interesting player to watch, and the Steelers can retain him on the practice squad with no roster or cap implications.
Players Lost: N/A
Notes and Camp Outlook:
So what’s to see here? Watt and Highsmith are who they are. Herbig is entrenched as the third pass rusher, but it would be good to see how much he grows. Beyond that, the question is really about who emerges as the Steelers’ fourth outside linebacker.
Expect special teams coordinator Danny Smith to have as much of a say in that as anybody, of course. The more I study this group, the more interesting I find it. We have Johnson as the guy nobody talks about, for example, even though he already played on special teams. Can Windmon prove that his 27 college sacks are the real deal? I think he will be a fun player to watch whom not many people are aware of.
