The Pittsburgh Steelers received a huge blow this past week when Stephon Tuitt called it a career after 8 seasons. Tuitt of course missed all of last season while he dealt with a knee injury and the tragic death of his younger brother.
Last season in Tuitt's absence the Steelers struggled in record breaking fashion against the run. They ranked dead last in the NFL allowing 143.8 yards per game on the ground. In 2020 with a healthy Tuitt they finished 13th giving up 112.4 yards to opposing teams. In 2019 they were 14th with Tuitt missing all but 6 games, and in 2018 they finished 5th only allowing 96.1 yards per game on ground.
Members of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense, Chris Wormley (95), Cameron Heyward (97), Stephon Tuitt (91), and T.J. Watt (90) play against the Cleveland Browns in the fourth quarter during an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
They also finished dead last in rushing yards allowed throughout the season with 2,483, and last in average yards per rush with 5.0. That just isn't something that happens in Pittsburgh. You may be able to pass all over the field but you're not going to be able to run.
Now the Steelers are banking on a lot of hopes and dreams in 2022. They're getting back Tyson Alualu who was lost for the season during the teams Week 2 loss to Las Vegas. But he's 35 and has been flirting with reitring for a few seasons now. This will likely be his final season in the NFL according to him. Is he going to recover from a major injury this late in his career to get back to the dominate force against the run that he was prior to his injury? It's going to be a tall task.
They added Montravius Adams late in the season and it seemed like they performed better against the run but they didn't. Cleveland helped out the Steelers by only running Nick Chubb 12 times in their Week 17 matchup. He had 58 yards on those 12 carries. They were just more concerned with letting TJ Watt destroy Baker Mayfield. Even with Cleveland hardly running against Pittsburgh and Adams starting the final 3 games of the season for Pittsburgh they still allowed a staggering 149.3 yards per game.
Pittsburgh did add DeMarvin Leal in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft. And while he looks like he may have a promising future the jury is out on him and will be for quite awhile. They also have Isaiahh Loudermilk whom they drafted last season in the 5th round. There is talent there with Loudermilk, but banking on him finding it all at once is a horrible idea. That leaves Chris Wormely as the starter opposite of Cam Heyward with Alualu back in the middle.
Wormley had a mostly up and down season in his first as a starter. Towards the back end of the season he seemed to find his groove. But Wormely's strength isn't against the run. Last week he said he's added 5-7 pounds to his frame but he still has a slender frame compared to Tuitt. And they just aren't the same type of player no matter how hard the Steelers want to act like they are.
Do you know who finished top 3 in multiple categories against the run in 2021? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They have solid players across their entire front starting with stud Vita Vea. You know who else they've had for the past three seasons? Ndamukong Suh. During that time span the Bucs have led the league against the rush and it isn't even a close margin.
And @NdamukongSuh on ESPN2’s NFL Live, on where he might be in the future: “It looks like the Bucs are out of the picture.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 20, 2022
But Suh did say he would like to continue playing.
TAMPA ALLOWED 91.6 YARDS PER GAME ON THE GROUND LAST SEASON -- 52.2 YARDS PER GAME BETTER THAN PITTSBURGH
For the first time in forever the Steelers have cap room. They sit with 20.6 million in cap room according to OverTheCap.com. They still need to sign Kenny Pickett, and Calvin Austin III but that should only take a little over 2.5 million after displacement.
Suh signed a 1 year 9 million dollar contract last season to return to Tampa. He's reportedly looking for more money than that if he's going to leave his family who live in the Tampa area. Pittsburgh has enough cap to offer him a one year deal that has voidable years if they're worried about spreading some of that cap hit out. At 35 years old Suh was still productive last season with 13 QB hits and 6 sacks.
Suh with the sack. His 4th of the year! #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/w8cV23YBY7
— AllThingsBucs (@AllThingsTBbucs) November 28, 2021
Pro Football Focus' Steve Palazzolo joined 93.7 The Fan Pittsburgh last week and described the perfect way the Steelers could get the most out of Suh.
"I'd bring in Suh. I like him as a rotational player. Don't have him play 90% of the snaps. Instead of 800 ask him to play 500. I'd like to see what he could do in that role."
I know what you all are thinking. 'He's too old'. Well he only came into the NFL one season before Heyward. He didn't have a few years of learning before he became a starter like Heyward, but he showed last year he can still be effective. Signing Suh and letting him, Heyward, and Wormley rotate would be a dream come true. For the last two seasons the Steelers have said they were going to give Heyward more rest but every season injuries or other circumstances come up and Heyward plays 95% of the snaps. That isn't going to prolong his career or allow Pittsburgh to get the best out of him.
Signing Suh will still allow the Steelers to have the space to re-sign Minkah Fitzpatrick. Diontae Johnson may have to wait until next year and catch the franchise tag. But reports are that they're undecided on what to do with Johnson at the moment regardless.
