Steel City Blitz
An annual rite of passage… Our Training Camp Previews for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The concept here is pretty straightforward; we’ll take a look at each position. Who is vying for a place on the 53-man roster and how will that happen? Obviously there are some spots much each easier to break down than others but we’ll do our best to cover it all. Today we cover the Defensive Line.
Little needs to be said here because Cameron Heyward is what he is. He’s an all-time Steelers’ great and likely a Hall of Famer. He’s coming off an All-Pro season and has yet to show signs of slowing down. As long as he stays healthy, he will be the overwhelming leader of this defense and the key cog along the D-Line.
If Keeanu Benton builds on the season he had last year then he could be on his way to a very long, successful career in Pittsburgh. To be clear, no one is suggesting he’s on his way to a Hall of Fame career, but he could be a dependable and productive defensive lineman. He has the ability to play down inside or outside. With the additions of Yahya Black and Daniel Ekuale to play over the center when the Steelers are in their base defense, Benton can focus more on the areas mentioned previously.
Logan Lee is essentially entering his rookie season after missing his entire first year. At Iowa, he started 41 of 43 games played and was a major part of the Hawkeyes’ success on defense. He has a lot of the attributes you like as a 3-4 defensive end but he needs to bulk up and improve his overall footwork. He’s very much in play to make the roster but it’s going to be a battle for him to get there.
With 85 starts in 132 games, Dean Lowry is filled with experience. I believe his best days are behind him but he is still a serviceable player. He’s no guarantee to make the roster. The Steelers would love to get younger and stay younger across the front. But Lowry – when healthy – is a guy that will know his assignment and do his job when called upon.
I’m kind of at a loss when it comes to Isaiahh Loudermilk. There were some flashes early in his career but things just never seemed to come together the way the Steelers had anticipated. He has the size you want but the effort and urgency just never seems to remain consistent. There are times when he looks solid against the run and then boom! He gets blown off the line as if he were on skates. Now entering his fifth season, this really is his ‘make or break’ year. A roster spot is not guaranteed.
Slade is built...
