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Steelers Daily Links: Heyward Still Among Best DTs, Pickett Breakout?

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Steelers DT Cam heyward

Pittsburgh Steelers captain Cam Heyward was ranked as the fifth-best interior defensive lineman by Pro Football Focus, behind Quinnen Williams, Dexter Lawrence, Chris Jones and Aaron Donald.

“Despite being 34 years old, Heyward continues to perform at an elite level. With consistent PFF grades of 89.0 or better over the past four seasons, he routinely ranks among the top players in the NFL at the position. His career can’t go on forever, but there’s no reason to expect him to drop off in 2023, considering how he performed last year,” Gordon McGuinness of PFF wrote.

🏈 According to Caesars Sportsbook, the Pittsburgh Steelers currently have +6000 odds to win Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. The Steelers’ odds are tied for the ninth-worst with the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots. The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs are the favorites to win it all again at +600.

🏈 NFL.com: Bucky Brooks has Kenny Pickett and George Pickens on his 2023 NFL All-Breakout Team.

“No wonder Ben Roethlisberger was worried about his Steelers legacy. OK, truth be told, Pickett has a ways to go — and at least two rings to win — before threatening the standing of the future Hall of Famer,” Brooks wrote. “That said, the second-year quarterback has already shown glimpses of the clutch factor (SEE: four game-winning drives and three fourth-quarter comebacks over 12 starts as a rookie) and poise needed to play at an elite level. With Pickett also displaying the accuracy, ball placement and anticipation to shred defenses as a pinpoint passer, the youngster could quickly earn a seat at the crowded table of star quarterbacks in the AFC.”

Below is what Brooks had to say about Pickens.

“The second-round pick burst on the scene in 2022, piling up 51 catches for 801 yards and four touchdowns,” Brooks wrote. “Moreover, the 6-foot-3 200-pounder displayed outstanding hand-eye coordination with a series of jaw-dropping, acrobatic catches that piqued the interest of the football world. With more playing time and an expanded role on the horizon, Pickens could enter the conversation as a top-10 receiver by the end of 2023. The Pickett-to-Pickens connection will have Terrible Towels waving for years to come.”

🏈 Tribune-Review: The white road jersey that former Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison wore when getting his first sack, touchdown in 2004 are up for auction. Harrison’s uniform is part of the Lelands auction house spring focus 2023 collection. Bidding started at $1,500 and reached $3,892 as of Wednesday afternoon. Bidding continues until Saturday night and can be conducted at lelands.com. The auction started May 21 and features a collection of 40 cards, autographs and game-used memorabilia.

🏈 ESPN: Former Steelers tight end Jesse James signed with the New Orleans Saints. James, who turns 29 on June 4, has struggled to find success since leaving the Steelers following the 2017 season. James had stints with the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears and most recently the Cleveland Browns, where he was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 20, 2022, 15 days after signing. James will reunite with former Steelers wide receiver James Washington in New Orleans.

🎂 Happy 51st birthday to former Steelers fullback Jon Witman, born on this date, June 1, 1972, in Wrightsville, Pa. Witman was the Steelers’ third-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft out of Penn State and had a six-year NFL career, all with the Steelers. A battering ram of a blocker, he helped lead Jerome Bettis to six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, while scoring just one touchdown of his own in his career. In his retirement, Witman has been open about his battles with depression and substance abuse in his post-playing career.

🎥GOAT Farm Media posted an in-depth video of Broderick Jones’ draft day.

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