Last year, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense wilted down the stretch. While that unit still had a fine season overall, the Steelers didn’t meet their own standard defensively. Going into the 2025 season, their expectations will be high once again. That group only got more talented this offseason. They added proven veterans in Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay, while also infusing some youth into crucial spots like their defensive line. As a result, former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly thinks they’ll be the best defense in the league this year.
“I think Pittsburgh’s always tough,” Kuechly said Monday on Up and Adams with Kay Adams. “They’ve got some stuff to figure out. Everybody’s looking at the T.J. Watt situation and them sending Minkah [Fitzpatrick] down to Miami. But you look at the build of that secondary, with Darius Slay and Joey Porter and Jalen Ramsey. Then you have [Alex] Highsmith off the edge and T.J. Watt on the other side.
“Cam Heyward on the inside. They’ve got some dudes. Patrick Queen, and I love Payton Wilson, at the linebacker level. They’ve got a little bit of everything. They’ve got a three-level approach that I like. I think they’ve just gotta figure out, do they feel good about Juan Thornhill stepping in for Minkah? … That defense, on all three levels, is gonna have a really, really good opportunity to be a dangerous team.”
Kuechly does a good job laying out all the talented players on the Steelers’ defense. They’ve got star power in spades. However, that’s not all there is to building the best defense in the NFL.
Slay and Ramsey have been two of the best corners in the league throughout their careers, but they might be past their prime now. Slay is 34 years old, and it isn’t often that corners continue to play well at that age. He’s also reportedly got injury concerns. Similarly, Ramsey will turn 31 this season and he hasn’t looked as dominant in recent years.
However, if both of them can continue to play at a decent level, the Steelers could have their best secondary in years. Porter didn’t take the leap some people might have expected last year, but he was still good. DeShon Elliott looked like an excellent addition. Even Beanie Bishop Jr., an undrafted rookie, showed promising flashes. Thornhill is a big question mark, but the rest of that group has a chance to be special.
The Steelers’ front seven is their real strength on defense, though. Watt and Highsmith are one of the best pairs of edge rushers in the league. Nick Herbig is great as a backup, too. While Heyward is 36, he continues to defy Father Time. Keeanu Benton and Derrick Harmon are two young, promising players along Pittsburgh’s defensive line as well.
The Steelers should once again find themselves putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks early and often. Also, Queen and Wilson should take a step forward as the Steelers’ starting linebackers, with both of them entering their second year in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh’s defense might go through some growing pains with so many new pieces. However, on paper, the Steelers should have one of the best units in the league. If they want to be Super Bowl contenders, they might need to reach that level quickly.
