My thoughts on our roster.... D-line

If games are won up front on the offensive side, then the same holds true for the defensive portion as well.... control the front line and the rest of the defenses job gets remarkably easy..... many experts consider us to have one of the best d-lines in the league, but i don't particularly see it.... we have our moments, but most of our accolades are based on reputation, and that can only takes us so far.... let's take a look at this unit in more detail...


DE:
Cam Heyward --- I initially thought this would be Heyward's last season.... I basically got fat on crow all season watching Heyward turn back the clock and have one of the best yrs of his career... He said before the season that he wanted to play 3 more seasons, and I now see no reason not to believe him as he has returned to the short list of elite D-linemen in the league..... he basically has put himself in the position to call his own shots.. he got after the QB... he stuffed the run.... and he lead the league in batted passes... yes, he will be a yr older next season, but I'm done doubting this man.... he's the best we have and his extension was well deserved

Larry Ogunjobi --- up and down season, with stretches of dominance and stretches of disappearances, which basically sums up his tenure with us... he can get penetrative and pressure the qb, and has his moments against the run, but he's far too inconsistent to be relied on for a full season.... he's also quite injury prone .... I see him possibly playing another season with us and then moving on to another team

Isaiah Loudermilk --- massive lineman who moves well.... has had his moments when on the field, but is also inconsistent... I believe he has reached his ceiling at this point... the coaches have maximized his talents and I don't see him as much more than a bottom of the depth chart player, although, he should definitely stick around

Dean Lowry --- limited player that gets by mainly on pure hustle... I like his attitude, but he is easily replaceable, which i believe will happen through the early parts of the draft


NT:
Keanu Benton --- athletic NT that showed strong development in yr 2.... a good penetrator against the passthat can apply pressure and has had his moments against the run... what he isn't is dominating, and doesn't command 2-3 blockers.. his skill ser at the NFL level is more like a 3-4 DE, and that is what i believe he will ultimately be with us once Cam Heyward retires... he filled in for an injured Cam and played admirably..... I believe we get that space eater in the middle during the draft and start sowing the seeds of the new d-line with Benton at end... I could even see him replacing Ogunjobi and playing opposite Cam, but all of that hinges on us getting that beast in the middle that makes the 3-4 defense go.... count on Benton going back and forth between both positions to maximize matchups in the future


Montravious Adams ---- injurybprone player, but when healthy, is one of those all effort players that endears himself to coaches... he definitely deserves a spot on the team, but I wouldn't want him starting long term.... a change of pace guy only that leads by example.... absolutely should stick around as a backup



Overview:
Much more is needed, and it will take a few drafts to get it right, starting with this one.... this yrs draft is fairly rich at the position and it would be an epic fail if we didn't capitalize on it



Next up....... Lbers

 

Sorry, I saw no stretches of dominance from Larry O this season. Fades badly as the season wears on. Huge disappointment considering his cap hit.
Benton is miscast as a NT. He would be a fine DE. NT has been a hole that the Steelers have not filled in many years.
Loudermilk should have been a cut last season. He's purely a backup, and not a good one.
Adams is a JAG.
This DL needs serious attention but unfortunately so does the offense. The Steelers will have some tough choices in the next draft.

 

Four of them can go as far as i'm concerned. Benton had a decent year and like you stated he should be a full time starter. Cam showed he still is the best DL on the team but was running out of gas at the end. They need to upgrade so Heyward can get less snaps to keep him fresh. They definitely need to grab another DT in the draft I would say the 2nd round and one later on and look to FA as well. The D Line was a weakness.

Ogunjobi has a roster bonus due for 3 mill and 3,533 mill signing bonus. If he is still on the roster after the league year 3 days in he is due the bonus. If released it would only cost 3,533 mill dead cap. Unfortunately I believe they will let him play the contract out at 10,533 mill.

 

I agree, Benton needs to be our 3-4 defensive end opposite Cam and we need to go out and find that space eater NT that commands 2 to 3 blocker to free up our middle linebackers to make plays. We have the speed at linebacker now (Watt, Highsmith, Queen, Wilson, and Herbig) that can create havoc and can blitz from all angles. Teams won't be able to chip Watt with 2 to 3 players making him non existent. They would have to take the rest of the linebacker crew into account. JJ Watt, on the Pat McAfee show, was talking about how his brother was open to moving around, after the season and will be working on that so this doesn't get keyed on like he has. That is just bad coaching if you allow this to happen to your best player and don't try to scheme him free and put him in a better position to succeed.

 

Our DL was embarrassing the last 2 seasons. We got great production here and there, but as many have said, just inconsistency at best. Our run defense suffers from it.


There are some DTs in this draft that would look good wearing the black and gold next season. We already have young guys with Benton and Lee. Not sure their intended roles but we need to keep adding until we get some dominance back.

 

I have been hearing from the local media they expect Larry O to be cut, his play doesn't warrant a 10 million salary.

 

This position and WR will be the major positions to look for regarding Round One consideration. Among the ones I'd want, Tyleik Williams from Ohio State, TJ Sanders from South Carolina, Walter Nolen from Ole Miss, Derrick Harmon from Oregon or even a wild card like Shemar Stewart from Texas A&M would all be stellar options. This is a great year if one is in need of IDL assistance... and sure enough, Pittsburgh is in dire need of it.


Larry O, Cameron Heyward and Dean Lowry are all either 30 or ever. Keanu Benton is, more or less, what you have at the IDL position. If not WR, I am with the likes of @Blast Furnace and @mac daddyo that IDL is going to be attacked aggressively this off-season due to both a talent and age drop out.



Who knows?! I wouldn't put it past the team to double dip for mid round selections like Demonte CapeHart from Clemson, Howard Cross III from Notre Dame or even Ty Robinson from Nebreaksa.

 

Who has Karl Dunbar "Coached Up"?

 

Benton, Leal (at least from what was seen during his 2024 Preseason) and Loudermilk (depth only).


Again, it does take time for Lineman of either side to fully get it. Hell, it even took Cameron Heyward time to become the IDL he is today. I would wager that this year is the year that Keeanu Benton fully gets it. Give Dunbar a great piece of clay to mold and he will.


Remember, Karl Dunbar studied under the legendary Pete Jenkins from LSU; one of Footballs greatest ever Defensive Line Coaches. Let us also not forget that this is the same Karl Dunbar who coached up names like Kevin Williams, Sheldon Richardson, Linval Joseph, Johnathan Allen and DaRon Payne. Wherever Karl Dunbar as gone, players end up being either Top 32 picks and/or multiple Pro Bowl selections.


Mind you that, of Cameron Heyward's Five All Pro Seasons, four of them have been with Dunbar. That isn't coincidence given Dunbar's history.

 

Dunbar also works with the edge rushers FWIW.

 

I think Benton is sort of a can’t miss pick, but he definitely didn’t have the 2nd year jump we were expecting.

Leal and Loudermilk have been largely disappointing.

 

3 of that is prorated signing bonus

He actually costs 7