Cam Heyward has been one of the most consistent Pittsburgh Steelers over the last decade and one day, he could find himself in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, he can’t play forever and Father Time is undefeated. That’s likely part of the reason why the Steelers selected Derrick Harmon in the first round of the draft this year. The 33rd Team’s Steve Palazzolo believes the selection shows shades of how the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles have drafted.
“It’s a little Eagles-ish,” Palazzolo said Sunday on his podcast, Check the Mic. “As [Cam] Heyward gets older, even though he’s coming off a 90-PFF grade. I’m not saying he’s slowing down, but he might not have three more years in him. By then, Derrick Harmon’s in year three. You have contingency plans. You can ease Harmon in. I think they’re doing a really nice job building that front.”
For years, the Eagles have continued to load up on the trenches on offense and defense. Until he retired after the 2023 season, Jason Kelce was one of the greatest centers in the league, but that didn’t stop the Eagles from drafting Cam Jurgens in 2022. That allowed Jurgens to sit and learn and then slide right into that center spot once Kelce retired.
Similarly, the Steelers loaded up along their offensive and defensive lines in the past few drafts. Since Omar Khan became their general manger, the Steelers have only drafted linemen in the first round.
Part of that is likely due to the influence of Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl. He joined the Steelers staff in 2022, but before that, spent several years with the Eagles. Weidl has stated that he places emphasis on the trenches before, likely a carryover from his time with the Eagles.
That might help explain why Pittsburgh’s draft philosophy has some similarities to Philadelphia’s. That is not a bad thing, either. The Eagles just won the Super Bowl, and they consistently draft well. If it works for them, then hopefully it can work for the Steelers.
Heyward didn’t look close to retirement last year, but when he does eventually call it quits, Harmon might be able to take the reins from him. That would mirror how Heyward’s own career started. He didn’t play much during his first few seasons. However, once players like Brett Keisel ended their careers, Heyward saw more time on the field and flourished.
Heyward’s been a great player ever since, and maybe Harmon can follow a similar trajectory. He’s garnered a lot of comparisons to Heyward, so maybe he can follow in his footsteps in the NFL.
