By Logan Leslie
SteelerNation.com
One of the Steelers biggest strengths is obviously their pass rush which lead the league in sacks both in 2017 and 2018. With every key player in this department returning in 2019, we will be likely to see another strong season. Bad news for opposing quarterbacks...
This article will breakdown statistical projections for defensive players with a role in attacking opposing quarterbacks and stuffing the run. These projections are calculated by taken into account career averages, anticipated playing time and last year's statistics relative to games played.
OLB T.J. Watt
Sack: 14.5 / Comb: 71 / Solo: 49 / Ast:22 / TFL: 11 / QB Hits: 22 / Int: 0
OLB Bud Dupree
Sack: 6.5 / Comb: 46 / Solo: 32 / Ast: 14 / TFL: 9 / QB Hits: 11 / Int: 0
OLB Anthony Chickillo
Sack: 2.0 / Comb: 20 / Solo: 13 / Ast: 7 / TFL: 4 / QB Hits: 3 / Int: 0
OLB Ola Adeniyi
Sack: 1.0 / Comb: 19 / Solo: 11 / Ast: 8 / TFL: 1 / QB Hits: 1 / Int: 0
ILB Vince Williams
Sack: 6.0 / Comb: 85 / Solo: 54 / Ast: 21 / TFL: 8 / QB Hits: 11 / Int: 1
ILB Mark Barron
Sack: 1.5 / Comb: 68 / Solo: 49 / Ast: 19 / TFL: 4 / QB Hits: 2 / Int: 1
ILB Jon Bostic
Sack: 1.0 / Comb: 41 / Solo: 29 / Ast: 12 / TFL: 2 / QB Hits: 1 / Int: 0
DE Cam Heyward
Sack: 10.5 /Comb: 53 / Solo: 31 / Ast: 12 / TFL: 13 / QB Hits: 21 / Int: 0
DE Stephon Tuitt
Sack: 5.0 /Comb: 42 / Solo: 27 / Ast: 15 / TFL: 8 / QB Hits: 18 / Int: 0
DE Tyson Alualu
Sack: 1.5 / Comb: 24 / Solo: 15 / Ast: 9 / TFL: 2 / QB Hits: 2 / Int: 0
DL Dan McCullers
Sack: 1.0 / Comb: 6 / Solo: 4 / Ast: 2 TFL: / QB Hits: 0 / Int: 0
NT Javon Hargrave
Sack: 6.0 / Comb: 47 / Solo: 34 / Ast: 17 / TFL: 5 / QB Hits: 7 / Int: 0
Keep in mind this list is likely incomplete. There is a very strong possibility the Steelers draft a promising OLB as Bud Dupree is likely at the end of his tenure with the team. He has been relatively productive but has not by any means produced the way the Steelers had hoped when they drafted him 22nd overall in the 2015 NFL Draft. A possible target in this year's draft would be Chase Winovich a DE/OLB from the University of Michigan. The Steelers have shown a lot of interest in him thus far in the draft process. Winovich's teammate ILB Devin Bush is another target the Steelers may consider in this year's draft. He has been mocked to the Steelers by many experts. Should the team draft either of these players it is likely the production of players like Barron, Dupree and Bostic will decrease.
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