The Pittsburgh Steelers have made sweeping changes to their defensive roster. But has it been enough? Here are four questions the Steelers still need to answer on defense.
Is this is at inside linebacker?
If the Steelers are going to go into the season with a three-man rotation of inside linebackers consisting of Elandon Roberts, Mark Robinson and Cole Colcomb, the defense is going to have to be built around these guys to cover up their deficiencies.
Who else can rush the passer?
As of right now, the Steelers top edge rusher after T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith is rookie Nick Herbig. Not exactly a comforting thought. This is another situation where the Steelers might not be able to keep Watt and Highsmith on the field together as much to keep them fresh.
Who is starting opposite Patrick Peterson?
It is hard to imagine the Steelers spent the No. 32 overall pick on Joey Porter Jr. to have him be the team’s fourth cornerback. So the more likely answer is Porter bumps Levi Wallace out of the starting lineup and he becomes the top backup on the outside and maybe in the slot as well.
How will they manage the defensive line rotation?
The Steelers have really beefed up the defensive front this offseason and have six or seven guys who can play. This presents a good problem to have but the distribution of labor will be vital. The Steelers defensive front got pushed around last season but the additions of Breiden Fehoko and Keeanu Benton should help with that.
