The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to have the highest-paid defense in the NFL for the fourth season in a row. The unit kind of crumbled to end the 2024 season, and the organization doesn't want to see that happen again. The coaching staff is going to be working to make sure that everything the defense is doing stays creative and unpredictable, while players will also be getting out of their comfort zones as well. Pittsburgh wants to keep opposing offenses guessing so that the true talent of the defense can shine through, and that is something that will be worked on throughout training camp.
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Steelers' TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith celebrate after a big play during the 2024 season.
The Steelers take pride in their pass rush, and that is mostly spearheaded by the team’s two star outside linebackers, Alex Highsmith and TJ Watt. Watt and Highsmith are highly productive when healthy, but the two do not bounce around the defensive formation much. Some have speculated that this has made Watt and Highsmith easy to figure out as the season goes along, and Highsmith was asked about that by the media when arriving in Latrobe for camp.
Highsmith acknowledged the defense will use part of camp to work on a few things to mix up the pass rush this yr to “throw different looks at teams.” Even watt admitted after last yr it may be time to work on a few wrinkles in so he’s not exclusively rushing over RT every play
— Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) July 23, 2025
The 2024 season began and after the first half of the season or so, Watt seemed like he might be running away with the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year Award. However, his production slowed down as the season went along, and he went the final four games of the year without getting to the quarterback. Some of that had to do with a nagging ankle injury he suffered in Week 14, but it also could have been opposing offenses knowing how to attack the Pittsburgh pass rush.
Fox Sports
Steelers' TJ Watt holds his ankle after getting injured against the Eagles.
That kind of dry spell is uncharacteristic for a player like Watt, so the defensive coaching staff is going to do everything possible to avoid it again. This could mean Highsmith and Watt flipping sides, or it could mean Watt lining up to rush on the inside. Pittsburgh has plenty of depth at outside linebacker with Nick Herbig and Jack Sawyer now, so there is a world where all four players could be on the field as well on an obvious passing down.
This situation will be interesting to watch as camp continues on and the players get on the field in full pads. It was an obvious issue with the defense later on in the 2024 season, and it is good to see that both players and coaches know it needs to change. The approach to fixing the problem will be fun to see, and it might lead to a better overall defensive performance in 2025.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' TJ Watt smiles before a Week 12 game against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football.
Steelers' TJ Watt Should Have Impeccable Bounce Back Year In 2025
Watt lost some steam as the 2024 season went along, and that should motivate him going into 2025, as should the contract dispute that just wrapped up. He should be expected to be one of the top names in the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year race again as well, and he should challenge for the league-lead in sacks. He became the first player to lead the league in sacks in three separate seasons earlier on in his career, and he will have a good chance to add a fourth season to that total.
If Watt can remain healthy throughout the 2025 season, he will be able to prove to the entire league why he is the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
What do you expect the defense to do to change things up with the pass rush? Let us know in the comments below!
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