2022 Pittsburgh Steelers Must Return To a Dynamic Duo and Alex Highsmith Is The Key

[Steeler Nation]

The Pittsburgh Steelers took Alex Highsmith in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft with the 102nd pick overall. Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt where entrenched as a one of the better pass rushing duos in the NFL. Dupree was coming off a solid season of 11.5 sacks in 2019, but was viewed by some in the organization as disappointing during his first four years in Pittsburgh before a breakout year. Highsmith was drafted as insurance and when Dupree fell to a season ending injury, Highsmith was installed as the starter for the remaining five games of the 2020 season.

Alex Highsmith Ascends Opposite T.J. Watt​

(AP Photo/Nick Wass)


During those five games, Highsmith flashed enough potential that the Steelers elected to part ways with Dupree who was on pace for another double-digit sack season prior to his injury in favor of the 2nd year player. In 2021, he started 16 games and managed 6 sacks opposite Watt who posted a mind boggling 22.5 sacks tying the NFL record. Since the days of Bill Cowher and Dick Lebeau, dynamic balanced dynamic duos at the outside linebacker position have been the keys to Steelers defenses. Greg Lloyd and Kevin Greene, Joey Porter and Clark Haggans, and of course James Harrison and Lamar Woodley. The balanced fearsome rush from the outside was challenging because you could not double team one without the other wreaking havoc.

Watt is a game wrecker and already draws double and triple teams from opposing offenses. If the Steelers are going to make the leap from a good defense to a great defense in 2022, they need that balance from Highsmith. This will be his second year as a full-time starter and with the attention that Watt and Cam Heyward are going to command, Highsmith will have to win 1 on 1 battles with right tackles and running backs. Highsmith has excelled in pass rush analytics and run stop analytics, but the Steelers need him to translate that production into sacks. Merrill Hoge broke down his strengths and weaknesses in a recent film analysis you can view here.

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The 2022 Steelers will be facing within the AFC North, Lamar Jackson a former MVP who is now probably the third best quarterback in the division. Joe Burrow, the 2022 version of Joe Cool who led the Bengals to the Super Bowl, and Deshaun Watson who if he returns to his previous form, could be the best quarterback in the division. The Steelers have had the best pass rush in the NFL for several years, but to win the AFC North in 2022, the pass rush may need to be historic. Watt does not show any signs of slowing down, but it is unlikely that he can put up 20 sacks again.

Assuming Stephon Tuitt returns to pair with Heyward, interior linemen won’t be able to peel off and help tackles with Watt and Highsmith. He must reach double digit sacks this season to take pressure off Watt and ease the pressure the divisions quarterbacks will put on the secondary.

The Super Bowl era Steelers long ago learned the key lesson that the best way to play pass defense is harass quarterbacks into mistakes. This season, they will face a divisional gauntlet unlike any in modern memory. It is the best slate of quarterbacks they have ever had to face in my time watching the Steelers and it will be the biggest test of philosophy vs talent in their history. You can’t win without talent, but the Steelers philosophy is what keeps them winning year after year. Alex Highsmith is the key to proving that and if he does, it will be a fun year.



What do you think, Steeler Nation? Please comment below or follow me on Twitter @thebubbasq.

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[stuntmanmike]

They parted ways with Dupree cuz he wanted a **** load of money. The Steelers depending on guys like johnson and highsmith is why they are 8-8 9-7 7-9. Youre only as good as the guy next to you, it’s just like in a fox hole. Highsmith is in a fox hole with 2 future HOFers. Highsmith cant win one-on-one matchups and he gets lots those because the offense has to plan for the other side of the ball where with Watt and company operate. He’s easily blocked by a tightend or fullback. He won a couple matchups against a backup tackle in the cleveland game but highsmith is not a back up he starts. If the Steelers are smart they will take a true edge player with one of top three picks. imagine any one of those guys opposite watt… scary! Imagining highsmith… not so much. The Steelers need to trade both johnson and highsmith as both will want big contracts and neither are worth big contracts. I know I’ll be flamed for saying this but it’s the truth… teams that can manage this issue, win, teams that don’t spend a lot of money on players they develop for other teams only to get nothing in return.

The old steel curtain didn’t stand pat… Glen Edwards was probably one the hardest hitting Steeler safeties of all time… great player… got traded, upgraded to Donnie Shell HOFer. Frank Lewis, wr, one of toughest Steelers ever, at any position, traded, upgraded to Lynn Swann and John Stallworth both HOFers. For the Steelers to take max advantage of Watt they need someone very good across from him, like David Ojabo from michigan, a real bone crusher. draft a bone crusher that can free up Watt or make a clear path for himself to the qb, then go play the chiefs! see if they laugh at us then! Haha. It was Glen Edwards that told the Vikings in the tunnel at the first Super Bowl “you better tighten you chin straps” and it was Edward‘s hit that changed the game giving us the first Lombardi… We need that kind of respect again and we need a front office and coaching staff that doesn’t “settle” for anything less than the best. Were all sick of teams like the chiefs throttling our defense!

 

[CoolieMan]

The need to draft Logan Hall in the 2nd and line him up on Highsmith's side

any thing other than that and there is no way the Steelers go over .500 next season

 

[slashsteel]

They parted ways with Dupree cuz he wanted a **** load of money. The Steelers depending on guys like johnson and highsmith is why they are 8-8 9-7 7-9. Youre only as good as the guy next to you, it’s just like in a fox hole. Highsmith is in a fox hole with 2 future HOFers. Highsmith cant win one-on-one matchups and he gets lots those because the offense has to plan for the other side of the ball where with Watt and company operate. He’s easily blocked by a tightend or fullback. He won a couple matchups against a backup tackle in the cleveland game but highsmith is not a back up he starts. If the Steelers are smart they will take a true edge player with one of top three picks. imagine any one of those guys opposite watt… scary! Imagining highsmith… not so much. The Steelers need to trade both johnson and highsmith as both will want big contracts and neither are worth big contracts. I know I’ll be flamed for saying this but it’s the truth… teams that can manage this issue, win, teams that don’t spend a lot of money on players they develop for other teams only to get nothing in return.

The old steel curtain didn’t stand pat… Glen Edwards was probably one the hardest hitting Steeler safeties of all time… great player… got traded, upgraded to Donnie Shell HOFer. Frank Lewis, wr, one of toughest Steelers ever, at any position, traded, upgraded to Lynn Swann and John Stallworth both HOFers. For the Steelers to take max advantage of Watt they need someone very good across from him, like David Ojabo from michigan, a real bone crusher. draft a bone crusher that can free up Watt or make a clear path for himself to the qb, then go play the chiefs! see if they laugh at us then! Haha. It was Glen Edwards that told the Vikings in the tunnel at the first Super Bowl “you better tighten you chin straps” and it was Edward‘s hit that changed the game giving us the first Lombardi… We need that kind of respect again and we need a front office and coaching staff that doesn’t “settle” for anything less than the best. Were all sick of teams like the chiefs throttling our defense!

I dunno about Highsmith. I think he still is a work in progress, not the finished product. I agree they let Bud go because they felt he would be too pricey to retain. I have no idea what Highsmith will cost to retain but I see nothing that makes me think he will push for a big contract. That is up in the air just as much as the unfinished product.

 

[CoolieMan]

Highsmith has not reached his potential yet....I hope