A Shorthanded Steelers Defense Still Leaves Fans Extremely Uneasy: "The Jury Might Be Out"

Many fans have taken to social media following the Pittsburgh Steelers' joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week to express their concerns with the current state of the defensive unit. Pittsburgh found themselves struggling throughout the majority of the two-minute drill, with seven shots series (winning 6-1) being a notable highlight. Overall however, the Bucs continued to expose Pittsburgh's defensive unit the entire day.

The Steelers were missing a number of key players during the joint practice as well, as Cam Heyward and Alex Highsmith were among the most notable players not present with the defense on the field. The defensive struggles throughout the day should not be a cause of concern for fans just yet, but this joint practice should be a nice wake up call for the players and coaches in black and gold. 

The Steelers' defense will find themselves with a true test in Saturday evening's preseason game against the Bucs, as Tampa Bay has a very promising and talented offensive unit that will give fans a real answer as to where the defense currently stands. They've already proven how formidable they can be in a practice setting.

As fans continue to express their concerns on social media, Steelers insider Mark Kaboly took a moment to share his thoughts on the Kaboly + Mack Podcast on the unit's performance overall throughout the joint practice.

"We talked about how good this defense was," Kaboly stated. "Was it really this good in camp, or was it because the offense is struggling? I don't know, I think the jury might be out a little bit right now."

Kaboly then went on to reiterate that the Steelers were missing multiple starters, as fans will continue to wait in hopes of getting their first official glimpse at the Steelers' defense as a whole.

"However, you still didn't have Highsmith playing, you still didn't get a lot of reps," Kaboly explained.

Highsmith will play a crucial role at linebacker this season, as many feel like the young veteran will truly thrive throughout his sixth year in the NFL. Highsmith was credited with six sacks and 28 tackles in 2024, with the star linebacker appearing in a career low 11 games throughout the season. The Steelers' defense may be nothing short of elite if Highsmith and other key veterans prove to be healthy, as the unit will look to continue proving themselves this weekend against Tampa Bay.

The Buccaneers have a very fast and talented wide receiver room, so practicing with Tampa Bay could help Pittsburgh's defense improve immensely and prepare them for the regular season. With multiple players on the unit looking to improve throughout the preseason, fans are encouraged to keep a close eye on the defense throughout the preseason.

Steelers Still Have Time To Patch Up Holes On Both Sides Of The Ball

With the Steelers' defense set to play better as a unit Saturday evening against Tampa Bay, Head Coach Mike Tomlin and his staff are expected to continue evaluating individual player performances throughout the remainder of the preseason. Highsmith will play a crucial role come Week 1 if he can remain healthy, as many feel like the Steelers will begin the season with a top ranked defense in all of football. 

Fans should continue to keep a close eye on the defense over the upcoming weeks as well, as the unit will more than likely improve as a whole before the start of the regular season. Heyward's presence will be needed as well, and Pittsburgh's offense will need to continue to make strides to take pressure off the other side of the ball.

Are you worried at all about Pittsburgh, offense or defense, heading into the regular season? Be sure to click to comment below!

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