In the third installment (RBs and QBs) of our updated look at the Steelers’ roster and where it is heading, I take a gander at the talented but aging defensive line. There hasn’t been a lot of turnover among the defensive linemen since last season, so the main focus will be on staying healthy…which has been hard for this group to do in recent years. Casey Hampton is 32. Aaron Smith is 34. Brett Keisel is 31. And Chris Hoke is 34. Unfortunately, the Steelers don’t have a lot of depth behind these guys and their performance and health will go a long way in determining the fate of the 2010 Steelers.
Hampton might be aging but he’s still the anchor of the defensive line and Dick LeBeau’s 3-4 scheme. It’s hard to tell how effective Hampton was through statistics because he hardly registers many tackles or sacks, but the Big Snack we saw last year looked like the Pro Bowl player of a couple seasons ago. He’s not quite as mobile as he once was, but Hampton is still one of the better 3-4 nose tackles in the game and will once again be asked to clog up the middle in 2010. If he stays healthy, the Steelers will be in good shape in the nose tackle position.
The outlook is a little murkier at defensive end.
It takes the right combination of size and skills to play a 3-4 end and Aaron Smith has all of them. He had only missed five regular season games in his whole career as a starter, but didn’t play in the Steelers last eleven games last season with a shoulder injury. His absence was a huge reason why the Steelers defense crumbled to mediocre levels. When healthy, Smith is a top five 3-4 DE in the NFL. But how many games will he be healthy for in 2010?
Brett Keisel will be slated to be the other starter on the defensive line with Smith and Hampton. Keisel has been a streaky player as far as production goes throughout his career, but 2009 was one of his better seasons (36 tackles, 3.5 sacks). He’s been able to stay on the field during the vast majority of his career and is a solid role player to have around. Keisel has never developed into the super versatile end/linebacker hybrid that a lot of people had hopes for, but he’s still a valuable member of the defensive line.
Keisel may give up some snaps this year to second-year pro Ziggy Hood. Hood saw some action late last year and made a couple huge plays in a big game against the Baltimore Ravens. Aside from the Steelers’ coaches, nobody has really seen enough from Hood to know how good is really is. Most college players have a “redshirt season” in LeBeau’s system and Hood was no exception. He has the size and physical tools to be a great five-technique defensive end and his development will be one of the more interesting things to watch this season.
There are a few other depth guys on the Steelers roster as well: veterans Nick Eason and Chris Hoke is back and youngsters Sonny Harris and Doug Worthington will be competing for jobs. Worthington is looking at an uphill battle to make the team, but Harris was impressive enough during last preseason that he was claimed by the Carolina Panthers and a lot of people were excited for the Steelers to get him back. Aside from Hood, Harris might be the only pair of fresh legs on the defensive line and is a few injuries away from being an important factor in the 2010 season.
As it was last year, health will be the main issue for this group of defenders. If everybody stays healthy, the Steelers should have one of the better groups of run stoppers in the NFL. But that is a big if. Improving the defensive line figures to be one of the Steelers top priorities in the 2011 draft and the unit desperately needs a couple more talented, young players.
