The Pittsburgh Steelers have adopted the philosophy of building within the trenches ever since Omar Khan was hired as the general manager. After two offseasons of completely overhauling the offensive line, it's time for the team to address the interior of the defensive line. The franchise is expected to select a defensive lineman early on in the 2025 NFL draft, but they could still go to free agency for depth. There are quite a few options out there for the Steelers, including reuniting with a former player for another ride.
Don Wright / Associated Press
Former Steelers defensive lineman Javon Hargrave runs after Lamar Jackson in an attempt to bring him down during a professional football game in Pittsburgh, PA.
After the San Francisco 49ers cut Javon Hargrave, he was immediately seen as a great option for the Steelers to help with both the run defense and the pass rush. However, Pittsburgh has another option that might have just popped up on their radar.
The #49ers are releasing veteran DT Maliek Collins, source says. Collins’ $10 million in 2025 comes off the Niners’ books as they reshuffle their defensive line. pic.twitter.com/vbFmMmsHPd
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 9, 2025
The Steelers are always keeping up with cap casualties to see who they can get as a value signing, and Maliek Collins was just freed up by the 49ers, along with Hargrave. The soon-to-be 30-year-old has bounced around the league while playing multiple positions in the interior part of the defensive line.
Tyler Kaufman / AP Photo
Maliek Collins runs out of the tunnel for the Houston Texans.
Collins has played some of his best football over the previous two years, as he racked up five sacks in each season to tie a career-high, as well as amassing 41 and 33 tackles during the 2023 and 2024 campaigns. Despite being cut to save some cap space, it seems like the veteran still has quite a bit of fuel left in the tank.
In 2024, he played 67% of snaps, which was just shy of his all-time career high. Even with all the production, he is primarily used in base defenses, whether it's a 3-4 or 4-3 unit. In the projected Steelers' lineup, he could see more playing time depending on if Keeanu Benton continues to stagnate in development, as they would likely rotate in nickel packages.
Steelers Could Use Collins
Benton has a lot of upside, but the Steelers do need a backup plan in case he has another season similar to 2024. The Steelers are hoping that moving him from nose tackle to 3-tech will help unlock his potential, but if it doesn't, Collins could be a good safety blanket at that position, as well as a high-end rotational piece throughout the season.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Keeanu Benton (#95) in his first NFL game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Even though Cameron Heyward recently had a career revival, he is still getting up there in age, and it seems like a matter of when he slows down, as opposed to if. Collins' versatility would help the Steelers give their defensive captain some more breaks if needed, so they can maximize Heyward's production without hanging him out to dry every week.
In a position as physical and demanding as defensive line, you can never have too much depth. While the Steelers' projected line would not have Collins as the Day 1 starter, anything can happen and having that safety blanket would be key to making sure Pittsburgh is able to continue to stop the run and pressure the opposing quarterback, no matter who is out.
While it would be nice to see Hargrave in a Steelers uniform, he is 32 years old and coming off of a major injury that ended his 2024 season in September. Collins has been in the league for the same amount of time as Hargrave, but he is younger and has less of a history with injuries while having the same amount fo experience.
What do you think about Collins as a potential fit for the Steelers? Let us know in the comments below!
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