Steelers Now
A former All-Pro linebacker has big expectations for the Pittsburgh Steelers defense during the 2025 season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers roster has undergone a ton of change on both sides of the ball this offseason. But former NFL All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly is more than confident in their new-look defense.
In fact, Kuechly thinks the Steelers defense has the makings of being the NFL’s best unit this season after swapping safety Minkah Fitzpatrick for cornerback Jalen Ramsey and signing Darius Slay in free agency.
“Pittsburgh’s always tough,” Kuechly said on “Up and Adams.” “They’ve got some stuff to figure out. But you look at the build of the secondary, with Darius Slay, Joey Porter Jr., and Jalen Ramsey, and then you have Alex Highsmith off the edge and T.J. Watt on the other side, Cam Heyward on the inside. I mean, they’ve got some dudes. Patrick Queen, and I love Payton Wilson, so they’ve got a little bit of everything.”
Pittsburgh’s defense does seem to be as loaded as it’s ever been following the team’s blockbuster trade with the Miami Dolphins.
However, Keuchly believes the departure of Fitzpatrick did leave one hole in the group at free safety.
“I think they’ve just got to figure out, do they like Juan Thornhill filling in for Minkah,” he asked.
Thornhill joined the Steelers on a one-year deal in March. At the time, he looked like he was brought in to be the team’s third safety, but that is no longer the case.
The 29-year-old is coming off a disappointing two-year stint with the Cleveland Browns, during which he didn’t record a single turnover. But he is still more the capable of stepping up to the challenge as a two-time Super Bowl champion.
Since being drafted in the second round (No. 63 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, Thornhill has recorded 337 tackles (233 solo), one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, eight interceptions, 24 passes defensed and one touchdown.
If Thornhill doesn’t prove he can be the answer, Pittsburgh is going to have to go shopping once again. Luckily, there are still a few intriguing options on the open market.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Former All-Pro LB Gives Bold Take For Steelers Defense in 2025
