It’s been a familiar story for the Pittsburgh Steelers over the past few seasons. A strong defense bogged down by a lackluster offense as the team scratches and claws its way into the postseason. With the additions of QB Aaron Rodgers, WR DK Metcalf and TE Jonnu Smith, there’s hope that Pittsburgh’s offense will be better this season. ESPN’s Mike Clay still isn’t very high on the unit, though, as in his recent rankings for every position group, the Steelers’ offense lagged toward the bottom. On the flip side, the team’s defense was consistently near the top, as it usually is.
Clay has the Steelers with the 26th-best quarterback room in the league, the 30th-best running back room and the 30th-best receiver room. The addition of Smith to pair with Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington does give the Steelers the second-best tight end room in Clay’s rankings, while the offensive line is toward the bottom again at No. 26.
On the other side of the ball, the interior defensive line, anchored by Cameron Heyward, was named the eighth-best in the league, while the EDGE rushers of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig and Jack Sawyer came in at No. 1.
“T.J. Watt has been an All-Pro in each of his past five healthy seasons and has an NFL-high 108 sacks since entering the league in 2017 (only he and Myles Garrett have more than 83). Running mate Alex Highsmith sat out six games last season but remained a full-time player when healthy; his 33.5 sacks over the past four seasons rank 16th in the league. Nick Herbig (5.5 sacks in 13 games) also was terrific in an expanded role,” Clay wrote.
At off-ball linebacker, the team ranked a respectable 12th in the league, while also having the fourth-best cornerback room and 15th-best safety room. Overall, the Steelers came in the middle of the pack at No. 18 for their whole roster.
It’s fair to have some trepidation about the Steelers’ offense. Rodgers wasn’t great for chunks of last season, but he still should represent an upgrade at quarterback in Pittsburgh. It’s fair to expect him to be better than the 26th-best quarterback in the league, though if he struggles to that degree, it might be an uphill battle for the Steelers to make the playoffs.
It’s also understandable to see the receiver room come in low. The Steelers don’t have a clear proven WR2, and the injury to Calvin Austin III complicates things further right now. But the 30th-place ranking for the running back room feels too low. Jaylen Warren was solid working alongside Najee Harris, and Kaleb Johnson and Kenneth Gainwell have some upside. It would be a surprise if the run game was that bad this season.
Defensively, the Steelers’ interior defensive line could be higher given they have one of the best players in football in Heyward, but being ranked eighth isn’t all that bad. The EDGE group was ranked No. 1 last season, so it’s not a surprise Watt and Co. are at the top again. The addition of Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay pushes the cornerbacks up to one of the best units in football, and the defense should be one of the best in football.
But once again, the question for the Steelers is on offense. If the offense plays well, the Steelers should have no problem making the playoffs. If they struggle offensively, they might need some help from the defense to get into the postseason.
