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Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
3 Steelers defenders primed for breakout season in 2025
As the Steelers' 2025 roster begins to take shape, several defensive players are positioned for huge breakout seasons this year. These three defenders have flashed moments of greatness — but 2025 could be the year they break out and solidify themselves among the NFL's elite. CB Joey Porter Jr. Dec 23, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) reacts against the Cincinnati Bengals during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh won 34-11. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports Porter's first two years in the NFL were filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows — but all that should change in Year 3 for the Steelers corner. The acquisition of Darius Slay Jr. should work wonders for Porter's development, as the veteran cornerback has claimed he's already taken the young Steeler under his wing. ILB Payton Wilson Dec 1, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson (41) picks up the fumble en route to scoring a defensive touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images Wilson had a tremendous rookie season and has shown zero signs of slowing down this offseason — having added weight to his frame in preparation to deliver an even more impressive Year 2. The return of veteran ILB Cole Holcomb could push the young linebacker to new heights, as Wilson gears up to potentially lead the retooled Steelers defense. NT Keeanu Benton Aug 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (95) sacks Buffalo Bills quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (11) during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-USA TODAY Sports Benton has steadily improved every year since being drafted by the Steelers in 2023 — and there's no reason to assume that'll change in 2025, especially after the unit vastly improved this offseason through both free agency and the NFL Draft. Nose tackles may be the unsung heroes on defense, but no one will be able to deny Benton's impact this year as he pairs with Cam Heyward and rookie Derrick Harmon to form one of the league's strongest interior defensive lines. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers 2025 defensive breakout candidates to watch
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jalen Ramsey to Steelers rumors shot down by insider Gerry Dulac
The Jalen Ramsey trade speculation took the Steel City by storm — but one insider may argue there's little stock to these rumors. Insider Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was asked during Thursday's Steelers Chat when Ramsey would be traded to Pittsburgh — and this was his response: Advertisement "I'd take a rain check on that one if I were you." Dulac is one of the most well-respected Steelers insiders, having previously broken the news of Aaron Rodgers' first meeting in Pittsburgh — making his insight feel more like fact than fiction. The Ramsey-to-Pittsburgh rumors have been limited to a UCLA training photo and the supposed following of several Steelers players on Instagram — but as with all speculation, it should be taken with a grain of salt. If Ramsey is ultimately traded elsewhere, the Steelers still boast a strong cornerback duo with Joey Porter Jr. and the newly acquired veteran Darius Slay Jr. — but one could argue signing another slot CB to push Beanie Bishop Jr. is still the move to make. Advertisement For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers, Jalen Ramsey trade rumors dismissed by insider
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jalen Ramsey to Steelers rumors shot down by insider Gerry Dulac
The Jalen Ramsey trade speculation took the Steel City by storm — but one insider may argue there's little stock to these rumors. Insider Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was asked during Thursday's Steelers Chat when Ramsey would be traded to Pittsburgh — and this was his response: Advertisement "I'd take a rain check on that one if I were you." Dulac is one of the most well-respected Steelers insiders, having previously broken the news of Aaron Rodgers' first meeting in Pittsburgh — making his insight feel more like fact than fiction. The Ramsey-to-Pittsburgh rumors have been limited to a UCLA training photo and the supposed following of several Steelers players on Instagram — but as with all speculation, it should be taken with a grain of salt. If Ramsey is ultimately traded elsewhere, the Steelers still boast a strong cornerback duo with Joey Porter Jr. and the newly acquired veteran Darius Slay Jr. — but one could argue signing another slot CB to push Beanie Bishop Jr. is still the move to make. Advertisement For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers, Jalen Ramsey trade rumors dismissed by insider
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Steelers Coach Reveals Keys to Porter Jr.'s Development
Steelers Coach Reveals Keys to Porter Jr.'s Development originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Pittsburgh Steelers are often defined by their physicality and potency in the trenches, but the back seven threatened their season in 2024. They looked out of sync late in the season and played worse than their collective talent would suggest. Advertisement Subsequently, Pittsburgh is still waiting for corner Joey Porter Jr.'s breakout. It's been a rocky two years for the second-generation Steeler, but his pedigree and physical tools lend themselves to optimism. Pittsburgh reinforced the secondary with veteran Darius Slay Jr. in the offseason. If this defense is going to ascend toward the league's elite, he'll need to be joined by the improvement of several young starters. On Tuesday, Steelers defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander explained the keys to Porter's development. 'There's a little bit of both (trust and technique fixes),' Alexander said, via Nick Farabaugh. 'I mean, there's a process to having success within a given play and obviously not dealing with an error of penalizing yourself due to maybe a lack of technique within the route. Joey does a great job. I think he's one of the elite guys at the line of scrimmage as far as disrupting releases and getting hands-on and stuff like that. Advertisement 'And so it's really post-that. It's not necessarily getting aggressive beyond that combative stage within that five yards, and now it's just time to trust his transition, trust his process, trust his coverage ability, and then obviously when he's in a position to be able to defend the ball down the field, it's getting his eyes up and challenging that and going for the ball instead of trying to think about 'How do I keep the receiver from not receiving the ball.'' Defenses can live with inconsistencies; it's par for the course for a young cornerback refining his game. But it's a lot easier to survive those bumps in the road when splash plays, in the form of ball production, erase some of those mistakes. For Porter, those flashes haven't come in bunches. He's logged just two interceptions and 17 passes defended through two seasons. He hasn't forced or recovered a fumble, either. Unlocking that part of his game is critical to creating Pittsburgh's most dangerous defense. Advertisement 'A lot of the elimination of those things comes in the form of how do we develop and continue to detail some of the technique,' Alexander continued. '... And so I try to get those guys to understand the mentality that it takes in order to be able to play the ball down the field and not so much worry about if the receiver catches it. And you're not thinking about failure. You're thinking about 'How do I put myself in position to finish this play versus preventing him from making one.'' Between head coach Mike Tomlin, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, Alexander, and Slay, there are plenty of quality voices in Porter's ear. For the sake of the Steelers' defense, they'll hope that the supporting cast plays a significant role in Porter's next step. Related: One Position Defines Steelers Trading Pickens Related: Inside How Much Aaron Rodgers Signing Helps Steelers' Bottom-5 'Triplets' Ranking This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
16-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Steelers fans may be surprised over PFF's recent free agency grades
Steelers fans may be surprised over PFF's recent free agency grades For once, PFF may have been generous to the Pittsburgh Steelers in regard to their grades—more specifically, the team's free agency grade. According to Pro Football Focus, the Pittsburgh Steelers tied for the 15th-best free agency haul with seven other NFL franchises: the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, and Seattle Seahawks. The grade in question was a B-, which seems slightly high considering the below-average 2025 free agency signings. Although the Pittsburgh Steelers had major holes along the defensive line and a plethora of star DTs were available in 2025 free agency, not a single defensive lineman was signed. There were also several young and athletic CBs available, yet the Steel City opted to sign 34-year-old former All-Pro Darius Slay Jr. Two of their best signings were the DK Metcalf extension and bringing back Mason Rudolph to Pittsburgh on a two-year deal, but it shouldn't have raised the Steelers' total free agency grade past a C or C+ at most.
