The Pittsburgh Steelers defense is known for pummeling the quarterback and forcing him into making mistakes. Over the years, Pittsburgh has had storied names like Kevin Greene, James Harrison, and Joey Porter at their outside linebacker position ruthlessly pursuing the opposing team’s field general, and have potential Hall of Famers in TJ Watt and Cameron Heyward in their current arsenal of pass rushers.
Looking specifically at OLB in recent history, Pittsburgh has had their fair share of talent come through the team, with Bud Dupree and Watt arguably making up the most prolific starting duo in the last 10 years. When Dupree departed for the Tennessee Titans after the 2020 season, the "next man up" mentality gave the starting job opposite Watt to 2020 third round draft pick, Alex Highsmith, who has continued to improve each year.
A continuing area of concern for the team since the departure of Dupree has been depth at the position, with last year's experiment to bring in Melvin Ingram in a reserve role, failing miserably. The team then tested out a variety of players in back-up roles, such as former first round Dallas Cowboys’ pick Taco Charlton and former Denver Broncos LB, Derrek Tuszka.
Last year, Pittsburgh opted to mostly keep four OLB options on the roster (with some of those try-out options being swapped in and out over time), and this year they could be looking to do something similar. That means, aside from obvious starters Watt and Highsmith, there are still two-plus positions to be filled and no one is an odds on favorite in my view.
Let’s take a look at the state of the Steelers’ outside linebacker corps.
TJ Watt
Photo via Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO
72 sacks, 22 forced fumbles, four interceptions and five incredible seasons of football. He’s worth every single cent of the $112 million that Pittsburgh gave him last year. There’s not a lot more that needs to be said about the reigning Defensive Player of the Year except that we are about to get another season of one of the best defensive players in NFL history who hasn’t even entered his prime yet. Buckle up, yinz.
Alex Highsmith
Photo via Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO
Alex Highsmith was a nice surprise hit from the 2020 draft and is poised for a breakout third season in the NFL. The former walk-on at Charlotte excelled in the rotational role during his rookie campaign, giving Dupree and Watt a chance to catch their breath. During the 2020 season, he racked up two sacks, one interception, and one pass-deflection while only playing 43% of defensive snaps (most of which came after Dupree’s season ended with a torn ACL).
Highsmith took a step forward in 2021, upping the ante with six total sacks and one forced fumble while starting in 16 games for the team. No. 56 was also a rare asset in the team’s 2021 run-stopping, amassing 15 tackles-for-loss (as opposed to just five in 2020).
If Highsmith can continue to get comfortable playing opposite Watt, and can help draw some double teams, it would go a long way towards shoring up Pittsburgh's defensive front. Look for Highsmith to take a leap forward this season as Pittsburgh places a renewed emphasis on stopping the run, allowing Highsmith more opportunities to be a playmaker on the outside.
Derrek Tuszka
Photo via Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO
Derrek Tuszka, who’s name I thought was Danny Bazooka for much of the season, actually proved himself to at least not be a liability when he was on the team, and seemed to get better as the team relied upon him more in that relief role.
Tuszka played his collegiate ball at North Dakota State University and was able to become a staple of the defense in his five seasons in Fargo. Collecting 29.5 sacks at NDSU, 13.5 of them in his 2019 season, Tuszka continued to grow as a pass rusher and flashed skills as a pass-deflector with five in his senior season. He then was drafted by the Broncos in 2020, before being released after not receiving any significant playing time.
At 6-4, 251 lbs, Tuszka has great size and his success in college does make you stop and wonder if it’s possible he’s a diamond in the rough. He continued to improve during his time with the Steelers, ultimately getting two sacks and 15 tackles. With few options on the roster, Tuszka may be able to ride that late season momentum into a roster spot if he has a solid camp.
Genard Avery
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 18: Genard Avery #58 of the Philadelphia Eagles makes his way to the locker room after the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Lincoln Financial Field on October 18, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
After a blockbuster opening week of free agency for the team, Pittsburgh quietly signed former Philadelphia Eagles LB Genard Avery to a one-year deal. Avery, who once sacked former Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, as a member of the Cleveland Browns, comes to the team with a veteran resume, having been in the league since the 2018 season.
Avery’s pro career has been mixed, with only 7.5 sacks over four seasons, but a career total 101 tackles. That being said, in his three-year tenure with the Eagles, he only started in 12 games and did manage to contribute a fair bit despite his limited time on the field.
Avery played his collegiate ball at Memphis where he managed 21.5 sacks and a 44.5 tackles-for-loss (of which, 22 came his senior season). While the jury is still out on Avery as a pro, similarly to Tuszka, you have to like what you see on his college resume. With no established number three or four LB currently in Pittsburgh, Avery will make a serious push to make the team if he has a solid camp.
Tuzar Skipper
Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
He’s back! After being a standout in training camp and preseason in 2019, former University of Toledo edge rusher Tuzar Skipper is back on the Steelers’ roster after stints with the New York Giants and the Tennessee Titans. Skipper was a camp phenom in 2019, and was able to register a sack in each of the Steelers’ first three preseason games. After making the initial 53-man roster, Skipper was unceremoniously released by the team ahead of joining the New York Giants. He was able to register half-a-sack despite having zero starts, and did not register a sack in his two starts with the Titans.
Skipper was not on a team during the 2021 season, but Pittsburgh clearly sees something in him, bringing him back after that extended period of time. At Toledo, Skipper had a solid senior season, registering 8.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles-for-loss, and one fumble recovery. Skipper also managed to return a fumble for a touchdown on special teams.
While it’s yet to be seen if Skipper can light fire a second time, his return to the team certainly got Steeler Nation excited, and I for one definitely look forward to seeing if he can find a place with his former team.
TD Moultry
When you have an SEC pedigree, you definitely get noticed, even if you don’t get drafted. That’s exactly what happened to rookie TD Moultry, who after four seasons with the Auburn Tigers signed as an undrafted free agent with Pittsburgh.
Moultry, who is listed by Pittsburgh as simply a linebacker, had four sacks during the 2021 season, more than half of his career total. Those four sacks amounted for 25 lost yards, also making up more than half of his career total. With momentum like that when given the chance to perform, Moultry will have an outside chance to compete with the veteran edge rushers should he perform well, particularly in special teams.
Tyree Johnson
Pittsburgh in recent years has loved their Texas A&M Aggie draft prospects, with Dan Moore Jr., Buddy Johnson, and DeMarvin Leal all being alumni. Not surprisingly then, Pittsburgh added fellow Aggie Tyree Johnson as an undrafted free agent after the 2022 NFL Draft. Joining fellow Texas A&M rookie DeMarvin Leal on Pittsburgh's roster, Johnson is an intriguing option at edge rusher who may be able to parlay a familiarity playing with Leal on the defensive line into a roster spot.
Johnson tied for fifth-place in the SEC last year in the sacks category, with 8.5 on the year (nearly half of his 18 sack total) and 57 yards lost (of his 119 career total). Johnson also was able to make SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week on two separate occasions in 2021, and was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team during his 2018 season.
There’s a lot to like about the 6-4, 240 lbs Johnson, and it seems as though he hasn’t yet hit his potential as an edge rusher. He’ll be in the mix for sure.
Delontae Scott
Southern Methodist University Mustang alum Delontae Scott, who played as a DE in college, brings impressive size to his bid to make Pittsburgh's 53-man roster. The 6-5, 250 lbs Scott, who is listed as a linebacker by the Steelers, is by far their largest option at the position, and one has to wonder if Pittsburgh actually intends to give him a look as a traditional outside linebacker and not a reserve defensive lineman.
Nonetheless, Scott comes to the team with 18 career sacks in college, 10 of them coming in his 2019 season. That same season, Scott forced three fumbles (of his five career total) and was ultimately signed as an undrafted free agent by the Green Bay Packers at the conclusion of the 2020 NFL Draft. He was then waived in 2021 and signed to Pittsburgh's practice squad.
Someone Who Isn’t On The Roster
It still seems very possible that the Steelers use some of their nearly $21 million in cap space to sign a veteran option to rotate into the lineup, ala Melvin Ingram in 2021. Pittsburgh, who are suddenly well below the cap as a result of the retirement of Stephon Tuitt, were in a similar situation in 2021 after the unexpected release of All-Pro offensive guard, David DeCastro. They didn’t sign Ingram until July 19th, and still could follow a similar playbook this year. With veteran options like Anthony Barr, AJ Klein, and Jordan Evans still on the market, they could target one of them to add into the rotation.
What do yinz think? Do you like the options on the roster, or do yinz want them to sign a free agent? Should they target someone in a trade? Comment below or tweet at me with your thoughts!
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