Last year, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive line wasn’t good enough. Therefore, the team spent its first-round pick this year on Derrick Harmon. Unfortunately, his NFL career got off to a slow start because of a preseason injury. However, he’s been healthy for the last two games, and Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is happy with what he’s seen from Harmon.
“He’s been good,” Austin said Wednesday via the team’s website. “You can see the growth in him as he starts to round into football shape. He’s a good rusher. He’s slippery. The one interception we got, he tipped that ball that DeShon [Elliott] intercepted. He’s got a lot of upside. We just gotta continue to see him grow.”
In Week 3, Harmon made an instant impact, recording his first NFL sack. While he didn’t bring the quarterback down in Week 4, he was a disruptor. Like Austin mentions, he got his hand up to deflect a pass that Elliott intercepted. That play had shades of Cam Heyward, who’s done that numerous times throughout his career.
Harmon has helped the Steelers’ defense turn things around recently. To start the season, that group looked bad, especially up front. The Steelers were getting pushed around in the run game, and they weren’t getting consistent pressure.
However, things have changed with Harmon. The Steelers’ defense still isn’t perfect, but it’s been better. He was on a limited snap count in Week 3, but with a bigger role in Week 4, the Steelers’ defense was better. As he continues to progress, that unit could get even better.
With the Steelers on their bye week, Harmon has a prime opportunity to continue getting acclimated to the NFL. Mike Tomlin also talked about being happy with Harmon to this point but also needing him to get into true NFL shape.
Some rookies tend to hit a wall near the end of their first season. Hopefully, that isn’t the case with Harmon. The Steelers’ defense is just starting to find its footing, and he’s been a big part of that. If he can continue ascending, then the Steelers might be able to make a serious playoff push. With their division rivals dealing with injuries, the Steelers might even be able to win their division.
