Steelers Defensive and Special Teams Position Groups Going into 2020

While the Steelers offense comes into the 2020 season almost exactly the same, and with their franchise quarterback presumably healthy and back at the helm, the defense has a had a few more changes this offseason.

The team decided to let two high draft picks in Artie Burns and Sean Davis walk. These first- and second-round picks respectively were once thought to be key pieces to the Steelers long-term plans, but neither lived up to the billing. Also gone are defensive lineman Javon Hargrave who had a strong season filling in for the injured Stephon Tuitt and linebacker/hybrid Mark Barron who had a underwhelming first season with the team.

To replace Hargrave, the Steelers made a rare in-division trade, acquiring Chris Wormley from the Baltimore Ravens. The team also bolstered its depth by signing multiple former-XFL players and in the draft, picking Charlotte linebacker Alex Highsmith in the third-round, Maryland safety Antoine Brooks, Jr. in the sixth and defensive lineman Carlos Davis in the seventh.

It wasn’t a wild offseason of changes, but why mess with a defense that allowed the fifth fewest yards and points in the NFL last season?

Defensive Line

Returning:

Cameron Heyward
Stephon Tuitt
Dan McCullers
Isaiah Buggs
Tyson Alualu
Henry Mondeaux

New: 

Chris Wormley
Dewayne Hendrix
Carlos Davis
Cavon Walker
Calvin Taylor
Josiah Coatney

Losses:

Javon Hargrave

Losing Hargrave hurts, the fourth year nose tackle has started nearly every game for the Steelers since being drafted in 2016 and was a key figure replacing Stephon Tuitt after he went down with injury. The Steelers hope ex-Raven Chris Wormley along with some of their depth players can fill his roll with the team.

Linebackers

Returning:

T.J. Watt
Bud Dupree
Devin Bush
Vince Williams
Olasunkanmi Adeniyi
Tuzar Skipper
Ulysees Gilbert III
Robert Spillane
Christian Kuntz

New:

Alex Highsmith
John Houston
Leo Lewis
James Lockhart

Losses:

Tyler Matakevich
Anthony Chickillo
Mark Barron
Jayrone Elliott

The team sacrificed a ton of depth with the losses of Tyler Matakevich and Anthony Chickillo, as well as special team acumen. Barron was supplemented by Bush, but brought experienced depth. The biggest issue now could be that behind Bush and Williams at inside linebacker there is now very little left. If either starter goes down, the team will have to rely on unproven Ulysees Gilbert or Robert Spillane. At outside linebacker the team drafted Alex Highsmith, but he probably won’t see much playing time with Dupree and Watt getting most of the snaps and Ola Adeniyi and Tuzar Skipper also in the mix.

Secondary

Returning:

Minkah Fitzpatrick
Terell Edmunds
Jordan Dangerfield
Marcus Allen
Joe Haden
Steven Nelson
Mike Hilton
Cameron Sutton
Justin Layne
Alexander Myres

New:

Breon Borders
Antoine Brooks Jr.
John Battle
Tyree Kinnel
Trajan Bandy
James Pierre
Arrion Springs

Losses:

Kameron Kelly
Sean Davis
Artie Burns

After a promising start to his career, Artie Burns was basically just a special teams player. Sean Davis spent last year hurt. Kam Kelly, who was brought in as an AAF free agent, started versus the Patriots in game one and then spent most of the season on the bench, replaced by Minkah Fitzpatrick and eventually getting cut mid-season. Behind Fitzpatrick and and Terrell Edmunds, however, the team is dangerously thin at safety. Marcus Allen and Jordan Dangerfield and fourth-round pick Antoine Brooks Jr. figure to fight to be the primary backups.

The Steelers had one of the best duos in the league at corner in Joe Haden and Steven Nelson, who was a revelation in 2020. The Steelers also have very capable slot/nickel cornerbacks in Mike Hilton and Cameron Sutton.

Specialists

Returning:

Chris Boswell
Jordan Berry
Kameron Canaday
Christian Kuntz

New: 

Corliss Waitman

Losses:

None

Boswell bounced back in a big way and the Steelers will roll with the “Wizard of Boz” again in 2020. Undrafted free agent Corliss Waitman was brought in in the offseason to challenge presumptive starter Jordan Berry.