Former GM Believes Steelers' Overpriced Defense Needs Complete Overhaul: "They Just Don't Stack Up To That Offensive Firepower"

Pittsburgh Steelers fans have heard for years that defense can still win championships. Head Coach Mike Tomlin believes he can succeed with the Steelers' traditional method of pounding the rock and stopping their opponents. Unfortunately, that hasn't worked well enough for fans. Despite having the highest-paid defense in 2024, they could not win a postseason game.

As the team begins evaluating needs and developing a plan for 2025, the hot topic is whether the defense would be good enough if they were schemed differently. That question was posed to former General Manager, Doug Whaley (who once served as Pittsburgh's pro personnel coordinator) on 93.7 The Fan's Morning Show. 

"No, I've been telling you the backend obviously isn't good enough," said Whaley. "And especially it's not good enough when the front guys can't get there. As much as we like Beanie Bishop, [Cam] Sutton, and all those guys, they aren't good enough. No offense to those guys. They're just not good enough. They're good enough to be backup special teams guys, but if you're looking at the teams that are left in the tournament, they just don't stack up to that offensive firepower. To me, it's secondary, and then you got to get someone to play in that interior defensive line. Everyone had their eyes on [Keeanu] Benton. I just didn't see that growth. That first year, we thought we might have something; 'He's the heir apparent to [Cameron] Heyward.' Didn't happen."

Whaley added Cory Trice Jr. and James Pierre to the players who are not good enough for the Steelers' defensive plans. The Steelers' nearly $150 million defense is over $20 million above the next most expensive defense, the Chicago Bears, at just above $117 million. They are expected to lead the league in 2025 in defensive spending at more than $168 million. 

The problem is they spent all that money, but didn't hold up consistently against the best quarterbacks in the league, like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow. The core of that group, TJ Watt, Cameron Heyward, and Minkah Fitzpatrick, are aging, and Whaley said they must find new talent. 

"Defensively, you're on the tipping point of going on the side to being not as good as you were. Here's how you can say that as good as they are in spurts when you start getting older, the consistency lacks, and it drops. That's what you're seeing on the defense and because a lot of time they're not playing from a lead where they can really unleash the hounds and be the defense they were built to."

Whaley likened it to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He said they show the same thing. The best players on that team are so old that while they are still good, they can't consistently play at the level needed to win you four or five games in a row. The Steelers do the same thing: win against lesser teams and a few back-to-back games, but it isn't sustainable. 

The Steelers have many more needs in the 2025 offseason than they expected. They have numerous free agents to replace and big decisions at quarterback and their wide receiving corps. After focusing on the offensive line for the past couple of seasons, they must focus on the defensive trenches. 

Steelers' TJ Watt Getting Grumpy

Watt just finished his eighth season in the NFL and made no secret that he is frustrated with their lack of postseason success. It isn't unusual to see Watt double and triple-teamed during games; his reduced 2024 stats showed the impact. 

While Watt has reportedly been resistant to being moved around like other edge rushers, the Steelers will have to start scheming him differently. Now it seems that Watt feels he is dealing with attention other defenders aren't. He may finally be to the point where he wants to change it and return to being the NFL sack leader. 

Do you agree with Whaley that much of that defensive unit needs to be scrapped? Tell us what you think below!

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