Unpopular Opinion: The Steelers are in better shape on the DL than they are the OL

When the Pittsburgh Steelers are in the dreaded long offseason, there are plenty of ideas to debate. As part of the triumphant trio on the Steelers Preview podcast, I’ve been known to often give a “Dave answer“ to various things as I often like to argue both sides of an issue. With this in mind, a new weekly segment has been born… Unpopular opinion.

There are plenty of arguments both for and against the Pittsburgh Steelers that might not go along with the majority of fans. Oftentimes I believe in these arguments, while other times I simply like to pose a counter argument for ones that are taking it too much to the extreme. For this reason, I’m going to offer some points about the Pittsburgh Steelers that go against the general fan narrative, or at least how I have heard things.

Next up is an opinion from a listener about the concern over offensive line versus defensive line…

The Steelers are in better shape on the DL than they are the OL

I will start out by saying that overall I do not agree with this opinion when it comes to the need to add to the position group in the upcoming draft. I do think there are valid points within the argument, but it does not add up for the overall opinion.

Here is what was sent to me from Dr. Anthony via X:

Everyone is talking about D-line needs, but an unpopular opinion is that O-line is actually a more pressing need than D-line.

Reasons:

• On their o-line, the Steelers have a solid center and four big question marks going into this year.
• The Steelers will either have an aging Rodgers, a career backup, or a rookie as our QB this year. The most important thing for any of them is good pass protection. But right now, the Steelers have no idea if their line is any good.
• It looks like the Steelers are all-in on a rookie QB next year, and what does a rookie need to succeed? Not good d-line play, but a good o-line and running game.
• If McCormick doesn’t take a big step forward, and if Seumalo retires or he’s not retained, the Steelers would have two guard spots open next year, and if Jones doesn’t pan out, they’ll need another tackle.
• As you pointed out previously, the Steelers run defense was actually decent last year except against the Ravens. They lost to the Chiefs because of the pass defense and lack of offense. Same for the Eagles.
• I would argue that the o-line depth is the worst of any position group.
• This may be the biggest reason. They have invested so much draft capital in the o-line all at one time that if those picks don’t hit, it’s going to be catastrophic for the team. Going all-in on a rookie QB when the line is filled with uncertainty is a recipe for disaster. They absolutely need a full year of growth for the line to be ready to take a swing at a QB next year. If they don’t bolster the line with more talent, they’re playing with fire.

I’ve said in the past that the offensive line is key for the Steelers in 2025 mainly because they have so many players who were recently drafted that are going to have to step up. If any of them faulters, the Steelers are in trouble.

But I don’t think the Steelers should be looking to add significant pieces to the offensive line for 2025 because they need to properly evaluate the players they have.

Once the evaluation takes place, offensive line could be another high priority for 2026 and beyond. This is the danger of taking so many players at the position in back-to-back drafts. Almost an entire position group is in the “key evaluation“ stage of their young careers. It’s not that the Steelers shouldn’t have drafted so many offensive lineman in the last two drafts, it was simply a correction of years of neglect which should not have happened under the previous general manager.

For this reason, the defensive line is a prime group that could use an infusion for 2025. The Steelers used a round two pick on the position two drafts ago but did not address the position outside of day three last year. For this reason, there would be enough of a gap to do proper evaluations if the Steelers were to add a player fairly high in this year‘s draft. Additionally, I think most people would be shocked if Cam Heyward plays beyond his current contract which only has two years remaining. Outside of Heyward and Benton, there is not a significant piece other than depth.

While I think the Pittsburgh Steelers feel better about their defensive line situation than the fans do, mainly due to the fact that the nose tackle is so rarely used in today’s NFL, I still see it as a higher priority to add a significant piece.

At the same time, this does not mean that the offensive line isn’t a greater concern with how they produce in 2025. I understand why many people have questions about the Steelers offensive line and if it will hold up. But throwing more significant draft capital at it right now is not going to help answer those questions. Instead, it could potentially cloud the issue even more without getting clear and concise answers.

To hear the latest Unpopular Opinion podcast, check it out in the player below. Be sure to check back for this podcast every Sunday morning during the Steelers offseason.