Steelers Have An "Under-The-Radar" Problem Area That No One Is Talking About

The majority of the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2024 offseason chatter has been surrounding either the quarterback or wide receiver positions. The roster has many questions in these areas, which is why it makes sense for a lot of the conversations regarding the franchise to have been focused on them. Regardless, there is a 53-man roster for a reason. Every NFL team needs contributions from more than just a couple of offensive positions in order to be successful, and the Steelers are in great shape when it comes to the edge rusher position. Or are they? It could potentially end up being a kryptonite for the organization in 2024.

The duo of TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith is one of the best in the league. It also helps that 2023 draft pick Nick Herbig showed flashes during his rookie campaign of being able to perform on the field. Despite the trio's talents, there is a steep drop off afterwards, which could lead to a big problem in 2024. What's going to happen if one, or multiple, unfortunately go down with an injury.

No one wants to see that happen, especially to arguably the best defensive player in the league in Watt. Brian Batko hosted one of his weekly fan chats for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Monday and commented on the issue with the Steelers' depth currently at the position.

"That is an under-the-radar potential trouble spot, because you're only one injury away from being in flux there. We've seen it the past two or three seasons with TJ Watt. I think Nick Herbig is ready for sure, and could also fill in as a starter if need be. But after him, it's a shallow pool."

There certainly would be concern if either Watt or Highsmith suffered some kind of injury during the season. Herbig has the talent to step in, but as fans saw in 2023, a positional group being hit with the injury bug could drastically change the course of the season. The injuries to Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander affected the defense in the latter half of the 2023 campaign.

Batko dove into the situation a bit further. He brought up several names that could potentially contribute if something were to happen to the top three, but there is a lot of uncertainty revolving around them.

"Kyron Johnson has been around the team and the system for a bit, but he's undersized. Markus Golden does remain unsigned, in case something happens," Batko wrote.

Teams can't go into any season expecting injuries to occur, especially to key contributors, but it's how the game of football is. Having depth is critical because of this. While there are several questions surrounding areas on Pittsburgh's offense, this can be looked at as an under-the-radar situation to monitor throughout training camp. Having a fourth name emerge could go a long way in solidifying the area.

The Steelers have a brutal and physical eight-game stretch to end the 2024 season, so securing depth in all areas will be even more crucial than in previous seasons. Watt will lead the way for the group as he has for years, but as he gets a bit older, it's also nice to know that someone other than Highsmith can chip in if the former Defensive Player of the Year needs a breather.

Steelers Looking For Big Contributions From Defense In 2024

Pittsburgh's offense has been revamped and it could take a little bit of time for the unit to come together and play at a high level. The defense, however, has a lot of the same pieces and will need to perform phenomenally in all 18 weeks of the season. The AFC North is going to be a battle from start to finish and the Steelers need to be on top of their game defensively.

Do you think an injury to an edge rusher could derail Pittsburgh's season in 2024? Let us know in the comments below!

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