The Pittsburgh Steelers have been busy for the second straight offseason when it comes to the free agent market. There comes a pattern with the acquisitions the Steelers have brought to Pittsburgh over the last couple of seasons. Clearly, Head Coach Mike Tomlin and General Manager Omar Khan want a strong veteran presence in the locker room with which they can surround a talented young core.
Steelers Head Coach, Mike Tomlin roams on the field at St. Vincent College during 2022 training camp at Latrobe, PA. | Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (@JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
In recent weeks, the Steelers have seen their name in the headlines for a different type of player. In this case, there have been multiple reports of them being in the hunt for the young star edge rusher, Chase Young, who is currently with the Washington Commanders.
Young came into the league as the second overall pick in 2020 with the Commanders and made his presence known from the start. In his rookie season, he finished with 7.5 sacks along with four forced fumbles. He was named Defensive Rookie of the Year and went to his first Pro Bowl.
Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis / USA TODAY Sports
Commanders (then Washington Football Team) defensive end Chase Young (99) celebrates after a third down stop against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Unfortunately in 2021, Young suffered a torn ACL in the Commanders' Week 10 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers which sidelined him for the remainder of the season, along with the majority of the 2022 campaign. Now heading into his fourth season in the NFL, it has been reported that the Commanders are interested in shopping Young and the Steelers have been rumored to be interested in him.
Does It Make Sense For The Steelers To Trade For Young This Offseason?
The report of the Steelers being interested in Young is an interesting topic. An edge rusher is not necessarily a need for the Steelers heading into the 2023 season. With the star power of T.J. Watt and the sudden emergence of Alex Highsmith, the Steelers arguably have one of the top edge rushing duos in the entire NFL.
On the most recent episode of the Three Point Stance with Kaleb Everhart and Dee Gray, they dive into what the defense would look like if the Steelers did in fact make a move to bring in Young for the 2023 season and how it is not in the Steelers' best interest to acquire him simply due to the talent that the Steelers already have in their edge rushers.
"He would never be a starter in that system because of the foundation they have already built (Watt and Highsmith)." - Dee Gray via the Three Point Stance Podcast
Gray also touched on the other players the Steelers have added this offseason that will provide depth in the pass rush department and how there simply isn't enough time in a game to give all of those players reps to get them each at their fullest potential, including Young.
"I would love to see Chase in the system because I know the connection between him and Tomlin... But in the grand scheme of professionalism, building a good team, and maximizing all of your players and their potential, Chase Young will be literally wasting his time here." - Dee Gray via the Three Point Stance Podcast
At the end of the day, adding Young to the Steelers' pass rush would be a significant addition and would give them without a doubt the superior pass-rushing trio in the NFL for 2023. In the long run however, it isn't the best option for them. They have already added two players this offseason in Markus Golden and Nick Herbig to help with the depth behind Watt and Highsmith.
Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Wisconsin linebacker Nick Herbig finished the regular 2022 season leading the Big Ten in sacks (11) and tackles for a loss (15.5).
With bringing in Herbig from the University of Wisconsin in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Steelers need to give him as many reps as possible in his rookie season. Much like Highsmith coming into the league, Herbig was one edge rusher that flew under the radar during the draft, but the Steelers see a lot of potential and similarities between him and Watt. Bringing in Young for one season would only delay the development of Herbig for one season.
What do you think? Should the Steelers take a chance on Young and bring him in and add to the already strong Steelers edge rusher position? Or do you think they are set? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below!
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