The Pittsburgh Steelers received some devastating news during their Preseason Week 3 game against the Carolina Panthers. Rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon was carted to the locker room with a leg injury, and he appeared to be very emotional about it. Fans are now fearing the worst for him, as that kind of reaction can sometimes indicate that it's a season-ender. Hopefully, it is not that serious, and Harmon can return to practice sooner rather than later. All in all, it's a terrible situation for him and Pittsburgh as well.
Sebastian Foltz / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers rookie defensive lineman Derrick Harmon runs through drills as the team practices during 2025 mandatory minicamp at the UPMC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA.
To make matters worse for the Steelers, they are severely low on depth at interior defensive line. Fifth-round rookie Yahya Black and free agent signing Daniel Ekuale will now be battling for the starting three-tech spot next to TJ Watt. However, the front office likely will not let either of them start in Week 1. They may have other ideas in mind.
It's rare that an All-Pro caliber player is available in late August, but there is one that can directly replace Harmon. Christian Wilkins was cut by the Las Vegas Raiders due to him not doing his rehab like the team had hoped, so he is currently looking for a job. With this massive hole opening up along the defensive line for the Steelers, the team may not think twice about making this move.
In 2023, Wilkins had a great year, as it's rare to see an interior lineman rack up nine sacks to go along with 65 tackles. The year before, he had 98 tackles with 3.5 sacks. He has proven that he can shut down the run and the pass, and the Steelers desperately need both from that position. This is just a perfect match for team and player. He seems to be healthy, so it's likely worth a shot.
Miami Dolphins
Former Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Christian Wilkins (#94) celebrates a turnover against the Philadelphia Eagles during a regular season game in the 2023 season.
The good news for the Steelers is that Wilkins received a lot of guaranteed money from the Raiders after cutting him. That means the Steelers can likely sign him for vet minimum, as Las Vegas will be paying for his 2025 season. Cap space really is not an issue anyways, but it's always helpful when you can sign a player without having to break the bank and ruin your future plans, and that is the case here.
Wilkins played defensive end for the Miami Dolphins and defensive tackle for Las Vegas. He has shown some positional flexibility, so him fitting in this scheme should not be too much of an issue here. He has yet to play zero-tech for an extended period of time, so he would probably not see many snaps in there. He would most likely be a one-position guy in Pittsburgh.
Steelers' Plan If/When Harmon Returns
As long as Harmon's injury is not season-ending, him and Wilkins will likely end up rotating regularly next to Watt. Maybe the Steelers would consider giving him some reps at nose tackle to see how he does there. A defensive line of Harmon, Wilkins, and Cameron Heyward would strike fear into any opposing offense, especially with the elite edge rusher room that Pittsburgh has.
Perry Knotts / Getty Images
Former Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Christian Wilkins celebrates after a stop against the New York Jets during the 2023 regular season.
Black was supposed to see plenty of reps during the season as well, but if Wilkins and Harmon are on the field at the same time with Heyward, he won't be on the field often outside of special teams. Luckily, Wilkins would most likely be signed to a one-year deal, so Black would get an increased role in 2026. Fifth-rounders usually don't see much action anyways, so he can take the world by storm then.
What do you think about Wilkins potentially being signed by the Steelers? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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