The Pittsburgh Steelers continued their winning streak in 2023, finishing 10-7 and advancing to the NFL playoffs’
wild card stage. The Steelers, the AFC’s No. 7 seed, lost on the road to the Buffalo Bills.
Pittsburgh made the playoffs despite having the 28th-ranked scoring defense in the regular season, thanks to the
Steelers’ formidable defense. That unit ranks sixth in terms of points allowed per game, trailing only Pro Bowlers T.J.
Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Pittsburgh performed particularly well in close games, going 9-2 in one-point games.
The Steelers have problems at many positions and are currently $13.8 million over the salary cap for the 2024
season, according to Over the Cap data. Watt, defensive lineman Cameron Heyward, and Fitzpatrick have the highest
cap hits in 2024, with $30.4 million, $22.4 million, and $21.3 million, respectively.
If Pittsburgh gives these players a tender, which is a one-year contract at the league minimum, they can only sign
with the Steelers.
Middlehurst-Schwartz writes: “Black and gold (or yellow, depending on your perspective) plainly suit DeJean just
fine, as the do-it-all defender shown at Iowa that he can be dangerous in a variety of situations. That’s an appealing
combination for a struggling Steelers defense that relies on its pass rush to hide its many flaws.”
