The Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 football season has come to an end, and unfortunately, they were unable to make the playoffs after finishing the season on a stellar 7-2 stretch coming out of their bye in Week 9.
Kenny Pickett (#8), George Pickens (#14), and Jaylen Warren (#30) celebrate after a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns in Week 18 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation.com (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Looking back on the team during the 2022 NFL season, they experienced a lot of highs and a lot of lows throughout. Coming into the season, there were a few position groups that had Steeler Nation questioning if they would be able to hold their own. One of those position groups was the team's secondary.
Coming into the 2022 season, the Steelers had their obvious star in the secondary, Minkah Fitzpatrick, but outside of him, there were a lot of unanswered questions. Next to him on the back-end, the team re-signed Terrell Edmunds to a one-year contract, as well as brought in Damontae Kazee on a one-year deal. Edmunds has been criticized by many fans since his name was called during the 2018 NFL Draft, and even though he has improved each season, the signing of Kazee raised a lot of questions as to who would be the starter.
Unfortunately, Kazee suffered an arm injury during the preseason finale and had to miss the start of the season. This allowed Edmunds to resume his normal role next to Fitzpatrick on the back-end, and he put together his best season to date. Kazee later returned after the team's bye, and definitely made significant contributions to the defense.
Steelers duo of Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds as they warm up for a game in at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation.com (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
While the Steelers had questions as to who would be the starter next to Fitzpatrick, they had two veterans with a proven track record. That is not necessarily the case when it comes to the situation they had at cornerback. The Steelers re-signed 2021 mid-season addition, Ahkello Witherspoon to a two-year contract, as well as added former Buffalo Bills cornerback, Levi Wallace on a very similar two-year deal. Pairing them with Cameron Sutton and James Pierre left a lot of uncertainty, as none of them have been consistent on the outside to this point in their careers.
As the season went on, both Sutton and Wallace settled in as the team's top two corners on the outside, with off-season addition Arthur Maulet commanding a significant amount of snaps in the slot, especially on early downs. This combination, as well as some sprinkling in of Tre Norwood and Kazee in the slot, helped make the Steelers' cornerback situation one of the most steady position groups on the team.
The Steelers decided to make a mid-season addition again in 2022, as they traded for William Jackson III who signed a hefty contract with the Washington Commanders prior to the 2021 NFL season. Unfortunately for Jackson, he never saw the field for the Black and Gold as he was put on IR shortly after being acquired, and didn't return to practice until just before the team's Week 18 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
With how everyone listed so far produced in 2022, the Steelers' secondary would easily be considered a position group that was a bright spot for the team. However, there is one player that really made this group arguably the best on the team, and that was none other than Fitzpatrick.
Steelers All-Pro safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation.com (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Like always, Fitzpatrick proved to be the All-Pro we all know him to be, but if it is possible, he seemed to get even better in 2022. Some were saying he took a step back in 2021, but he was asked to play a different role due to the Steelers sub-par run defense, which resulted in him leading the team in tackles. He still maintained a strong presence in the run game preventing chunk plays from opposing running backs, but he returned to his usual ball-hawk self.
Fitzpatrick ended up totaling 6 interceptions on the season, which tied for the league lead, and that is a feat that hasn't been done by a a Steeler since Mel Blount did it in 1975 when he caught 11 passes from opposing quarterbacks.
Overall, the Steelers' secondary was a pleasant surprise that helped carry the team down the home stretch of the 2022 season. They have several members of this unit that are free agents, so if they will be able to maintain this high level of play in 2023 is a question mark as of now. Regardless, the progress from many members of this unit should be a positive note for things to come.
Overall Season Grade: B+
What do you think about the performance from the Steelers secondary in 2022? Let us know in the comments below!
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