Steelers May Now Be Planning To Use Micah Parsons' Success To Transform Pittsburgh's Defense

One of the more intriguing revelations regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2026 season will come on the defensive side of the ball. For the first time in what feels like the organization's entire history, the head coach will be more focused on the offense. Patrick Graham will essentially not have to report to anyone, and that wasn't the case when Mike Tomlin or his two predecessors were around. The unit will be tasked with getting better and it might need an entirely new scheme to do so. Inconsistencies and failing to show up in several big moments in recent years are two big issues that need to be addressed.

Due to Graham's arrival, veteran players are going to be asked to do some different things. Because of the experience that some of these playmakers have, it shouldn't necessarily be an issue. There is one other interesting fact to note with a new coaching staff around. While Mike McCarthy is going to be running the offense, he drafted, and was with Micah Parsons for four seasons when both were with the Dallas Cowboys.

Parsons isn't just a dynamic edge rusher who has never had less than 12 sacks in a season during his career. He is elusive, creative, and can line up pretty much anywhere. It shouldn't take a Steelers fan long to realize that Pittsburgh has someone on the roster with this kind of shiftiness and explosiveness, and he just so happened to get a big payday.

Nick Herbig is not on the same planet as Parsons is currently in terms of career production and having respect around the league, but that doesn't mean he can't get there quickly if Graham is planning on making him a do-it-all defender. During a fan chat on Wednesday hosted by Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the beat writer noted that because of the new system, anything is on the table, and McCarthy has probably brought up Parsons' flexibility to Graham.

"Different defensive coordinator. Patrick Graham will have his own ideas on how to utilize his three talented OLBs," Fittipaldo noted. "I am sure McCarthy has told Graham about working with Parsons, but I would expect Graham to have ownership of the defense and how he deploys the players."

Out of the Steelers' top three edge rushers, there is no doubt that Herbig is the quickest overall. His bursts of speed are truly something to witness. If anyone is going to be used as Parsons was in Dallas, the recently-extended man makes the most sense. The best part is that TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith can remain on the edges as it is happening. An opposing offense would have a difficult time figuring out which of the trio would actually be rushing the passer.

No one really knows how the Steelers are going to use these three playmakers. They could technically all be on the field at the same time; however, that would require one of them to consistently be on the move. Based on comfort and athleticism, Herbig is the best fit to work all over the place. His speed will allow him to get anywhere he needs to be in a hurry.

Parsons had an incredible start to his career with the Cowboys, but was eventually traded away. After signing this nice extension, Herbig isn't going anywhere anytime soon and it makes a ton of sense to see if he is up to the task of mimicking what Parsons was doing when he was in Dallas.

Steelers Could Turn Into A Very Lethal Defense With A Version Of Parsons

No one is asking Herbig to become as formidable or dominant as Parsons; that would require him to turn into one of the very best in the league. That can be looked at as the best case scenario, but if all three edge rushers are on the roster and healthy come September, creativity will be key. McCarthy's experience with Parsons may be exactly what the Steelers need to make this work.

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