The Pittsburgh Steelers brought back lineman Montravius Adams who they signed off the New Orleans Saints practice squad in the middle of last season, and drafted lineman DeMarvin Leal from Texas A&M in the 2022 NFL Draft. But in the eyes of one ESPN insider, that wasn't enough.
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Robert Weintraub from Football Outsiders outlined the biggest hole for the Steelers in the latest ESPN+ story.
Biggest hole: Defensive lineThe Steelers' defensive front is shallow and getting long in the tooth, even if Cameron Heyward, 33, remains an unblockable menace (10 sacks, 53 pressures in 2021).
At the other two spots, Pittsburgh is relying on a pair of players, Stephon Tuitt and Tyson Alualu, who combined for 57 snaps in 2021. Tuitt missed all of last season due to a combination of knee injury and mourning the death of his brother. He has yet to commit to anything for the coming season -- the team remains hopeful but vague whenever asked about Tuitt's status. Nose tackle Alualu was lost in Week 2 to a broken ankle and is entering his age-35 season.
Behind them are journeyman Chris Wormley and third-round pick DeMarvin Leal of Texas A&M, a middling athlete who disappointed on tape, though playing end in a 3-4 front might be suited to his skill set. Obviously, the Steelers can still generate a pass rush, but they were 27th against the run by DVOA last year. Unless Tuitt and Alualu return to form, that may not improve much.
-- Robert Weintraub
One thing Weintraub is right about is the fact that the Steelers have remained very vague on Stephon Tuitt. Tuitt of course missed all of last season while dealing with the death of his brother, and a knee injury. It still seems like head coach Mike Tomlin could be clinging on to a last ditch effort of hope when it comes to Tuitt. Tomlin and outgoing general manager Kevin Colbert have said they've spoken with Tuitt, but there's been no sign of him in Pittsburgh, yet.
Another thing we know Weintraub is right about is Cam Heyward. Heyward continues to play his best football even though he's beginning to hit the downhill part of his career. They need to find him help, and a way to keep him fresh. They've been saying for multiple years now that they want to keep Heyward fresh, but circumstances have continued to dictate that he can't leave the field. So, he hasn't. But that has to change in 2022.
Calling Chris Wormley a journeyman isn't correct. Wormley was drafted by Baltimore and traded to the Steelers in 2020 where he's stayed. While playing a reserve role, Wormley didn't make much of an impact, but as a starter, he held his own in 2021. Wormley recorded career highs in tackles (51), sacks (7) and quarterback hits (10) while starting 14 games. The issue was that the Steelers had a revolving door between Wormley and Heyward last season after Tyson Alualu went down. They funneled some practice squad type players into that position repeatedly, and it often left run lanes the size of the Grand Canyon up the middle.
If the Steelers don't add another body that can play to the defensive line, then they better be certain that Tuitt is going to be able to play. They also better be certain that Alaulu can regain his form after injuring his ankle last season. While it might not be a big deal to someone at the age of 24, it's a much bigger deal for someone the age of Alualu who is 35.
Time will tell, but if Tuitt doesn't show up to OTA's, then they're going to need to start looking at the remaining free agents.
